Believe in me
by flashgunner
Summary: This story takes place from the end of and right after megaman zero 4. What will Ciel do now that zero is gone from her life? Will he return? ZeroxCiel HarpuiaxLeviathan pairings. megaman zero 4 spoilers alert. *COMPLETE*
1. Gone

Hello everybody! this is flashgunner returning from a long period of no writing due to school work.

This is a brand new story that i already have 2 chapters for, but i'm going to submit the second one an a day or two so i can get reviews on ch. 1

i am sorry to say that i will probably not continue my megaman battle network highschool life story. i'm sorry to those who liked it, i just lost interest in it all together.

anyway here is my new megaman zero story

story

"talking"

_thinking_

enjoy!

* * *

Megaman Zero: Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 1: Gone

"Ciel…you have to believe in me!"

……………

Those were the last words she heard from him. Ciel's eyes were fixed on the static transmission plastered on the screen. She stared as if hoping that he might appear on it and tell her that he's ok, like he always had before. But, he didn't.

"Contact has been lost. Ragnarok is breaking apart."

Contact has been lost. Those words cut into Ciel like a knife cutting butter. That meant he was gone…Zero was gone. Gone. And there was nothing she could do about it. Ciel wanted to turn and run away right then and there. She wanted to run as far away as she could, but she struggled to keep her composure. It didn't last long. She turned and ran towards Area Zero.

"Those are……pieces of Ragnarok…"

"Does that mean we've been saved?"

"Niege!" Ciel ran up to the leader of the settlement.

"Ciel! Zero did it!"

"Yes he did, but……he……"

"Ciel……?"

She couldn't take it; it was too much to bear. Again she ran, leaving behind the resistance trailer, the humans, and Area Zero. She stopped at the top of a hill with a lone tree sitting at its apex. Her knees gave way and she slumped onto her hands and knees. She couldn't hold them back any longer. Tears began to drip down her face as she took in all that had happened in only the past half hour. She was going to tell him……she was going to tell him how she felt about him when Weil was defeated. She had always hesitated before; Zero was always so serious and hard to approach. She had finally built up the courage to tell him, but now he was gone. Her perfect chance, gone. When Ciel couldn't cry anymore, she slowly got up and looked into the sky.

"Zero……I'm going to help build a world where humans and reploids can live hand in hand. I want you to watch me do this. Watch me bring the peace we fought so hard for into action. Thank you Zero……I will always love you……sniff"

Ciel turned and began walking down the hill, looking back at the sky once more to make sure she would never forget. Then she turned and walked towards the ruins of Ragnarok. When she arrived she looked around in hopes of finding something that could remind her of Zero. Then she spotted it. A helmet…Zero's helmet only a bit cracked and damaged. She ran towards it and picked it up gently, small tears forming in her eyes. After examining it through her misty vision, she hugged it tightly saying, "Oh Zero... I sent you off so many times assuming you'd always be back... but now...." She brought the helmet up to eye level and spoke to it in a soft yet choked voice, "Rest in peace my knight in red armor……you can now peacefully watch over me while I build this new community." She planted a kiss on the helmet's forehead, then turned and walked away from the ruins, clutching the helmet tightly.

As the wind around the ruins died down, a faint light began to flicker, until it turned into a little gold dot.

"I thought I wouldn't have to come back again, but it seems that I am needed." The gold light morphed into the hologram of the real X. "He should be around here…" X searched a pile of debris until he found a severely mangled reploid. "Zero……we can't let you leave this world yet. There are people here that you need to help, people you need to protect, and people that you need to be there for. I just hope that he can fix you." X teleported away.

He appeared in a laboratory. It had no windows or doors, just lights, a workbench, and more tools than one could count. X Moved forward and lay Zero down on the workbench.

"My my……he's in bad shape." Said a low yet caring voice. X turned and faced the direction of the voice.

"Yeah……his body is severely damaged. Can you still fix him?"

"This isn't anything I haven't handled before." The voice became louder and another hologram became visible. "This world still needs a hero. So we most definitely cannot lose this one."

"Then I guess I can return to my rest with no worries…… Thanks Dad." And with that X disappeared leaving Zero alone with the hologram.

Ciel carefully propped Zero's helmet on the top of a small bookshelf in her room. Gazing upon it, she recollected all the things Zero had done for both her and the Resistance. If not for Zero, this approaching era of peace would have never seen the light. Instead of going about her work, Ciel kept her eyes fixed on what her fallen hero left behind. Her thoughts thought of nothing but him.

"Ciel?" Ciel jumped and turned around quickly. Cerveau stood in her doorway.

"Oh… hi Cerveau."

"It's not like you to be so distant from all of us. Peace has finally been attained and you've been quieter than a Neo Arcadian drone……" Cerveau eyed Zero's helmet on her bookshelf. His eyes widened as he mentally slapped himself. _Of course! That's why she's sad. _"Ciel…I know it's hard to accept that Zero is gone, but you can't dwell on it forever. Zero gave us this opportunity for peace, so we must focus on that now."

Ciel sat down on her bed. "I know I shouldn't dwell on it. I know that I should focus on our current goal. That's not what's bothering me."

Cerveau sat down next to her. "What is it then?" Ciel's eyes began to water again. She didn't want to talk about it, but if she didn't say it, but she felt like she'd explode if she didn't talk to someone about it.

"I…I……I loved him! Cerveau, I loved him and now he's gone!" She covered her face with her hands. "I was finally going to tell him, but he's gone!"

Cerveau didn't know what to say. He wrapped his arms around Ciel to comfort her as she cried, thinking of what he could say to make her feel better. "Ciel…Zero didn't just fight for you because he wanted peace or to stop Neo Arcadia. If you think about it, Zero could have left us to join Neo Arcadia at any time if he wanted to, but he didn't." Ciel, sniffling, slowly looked up and listened. "Zero was most influenced by you, and your idea for peace. He constantly fought for you and your ideas because he believed in your cause, peace through other means than violence if possible. In the end he gave his life, so that your ideas for peace could turn from dream to reality. He did it all for you, and now it is your turn to be the hero." Ciel's face brightened a bit.

"Thank you Cerveau!" Ciel got up and wiped the tears away. "You are absolutely right. I need to make the best use of the opportunity that Zero worked so hard to give me. I will show him how much I love him through my efforts towards peace."

Cerveau smiled and got up from the bed. "Well, what are we waiting around for?" Ciel smiled and arose from the bed as well.

"There's much to do. Let's get started as soon as we can!" The two walked out of the room. The door shut, casting a shadow over the helmet of Zero.

---To be Continued---

* * *

so the new era has begun...or has it? check back soon for ch. 2!

Flashgunner over and out!


	2. I wasn't strong enough

I can't wait any more! i wanted to submit this part so bad cause it was already done. )

this is the second part of the story where the true storyline begins to take shape. (it's also much longer).

thanks you to those who reviewed! enjoy the story!

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(Me) if i have anything to say or explain

* * *

Megaman Zero: Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 2: I wasn't strong enough

A severely damaged green battle reploid limped towards the entrance of the Resistance base, in his arms a blue female reploid that was damaged even more than him. He came within the sight of the resistance guards.

"Hey! Isn't that Harpuia of the four Guardians?"

"Yeah it is! He doesn't look good! Call Ciel and Cerveau immediately!" Harpuia dragged himself to the entrance where Ciel and Cerveau were waiting.

"My god……Harpuia what happened?"

"There's……no time……to explain right now. Please…you must help……her…" Harpuia lifted the blue reploid towards them.

Ciel gasped.

"Leviathan!" Cerveau exclaimed. It was indeed Leviathan, only she was missing an arm and had a huge hole through her stomach, not to mention that her helmet was completely smashed letting strands of long blue hair hang across her face.

"I'll help her right away!" Cerveau took Leviathan from Harpuia and ran inside the base toward his lab.

A resistance soldier flung Harpuia's arm around his shoulder and helped him down to Cerveau's lab. Ciel walked down with them.

"Why did you come here?"

"All of………Neo Arcadia……was totaled when Craft fired the Ragnarok laser on it. You were our only option."

"How did this happen to you?" But Ciel didn't get an answer. Harpuia was out cold from his injuries.

Ciel entered Cerveau's lab. He had been in his lab for the past three days working without rest. As she stepped into the lab she saw Cerveau working on repairing Leviathan. He had removed her smashed helmet so it wouldn't get in the way, and he had already fixed the hole in her stomach. Ciel looked to her left and saw Harpuia, completely fixed, lying on a recovery bed.

"I finished with him a while ago, he should wake up soon when he's fully recovered." Ciel looked up to see Cerveau looking at her, but she quickly averted her sight to Leviathan.

"How is she doing?" Her damage was far more extensive than his……whatever they fought, it must've been pretty damn powerful to do this much damage to a guardian. I don't know what that means for us…"

"I wonder why Fefnir wasn't with them."

"Fefnir is dead." Ciel and Cerveau spun around to see Harpuia getting up from the table.

"Wait! You shouldn't get up yet! You should get some rest!" Cerveau began to say. Harpuia removed his helmet revealing green spiky hair.

"Believe me I'm fine." His eyes moved to Leviathan then widened. "Levi!" he ran over to her. After looking at her up and down for a second, he stroked a strand of hair away from her face. "Levi……Damn you Weil!"

"Weil! But he's dead!" Exclaimed Ciel.

"Yes……he isdead… theoretically...there is much we need to discuss." He turned to the door, but before he exited he looked at Cerveau. "You can save her right?"

"It will take a while, but yes. I will have her up and running again in a week or two."

"Thank you."

Ciel led Harpuia to her room where they sat down at a table. Harpuia spotted Zero's helmet, but didn't say anything.

"So lets start." Began Ciel. "You mentioned Weil, and that Fefnir was dead."

"Yes Fefnir is dead. That is true. After Ragnarok was destroyed, we were still helping with the salvage process in what was left of Neo Arcadia………

FLASHBACK

"Alright come this way." Harpuia led a group of humans toward the resistance evacuation trucks. "Alright this sector is clear…report in."

"This is Fefnir! My sector is almost clear!"

"This is Leviathan! The last humans have just left my sector!"

"Good. When you two are all done meet up at my current position."

Later…

"Ok…we have one last task. Find Weil's laboratory and recover any useful information."

"Roger!" (Fefnir)

"Right behind you Harpy!" (Leviathan)

The three shot off into the distance.

After a while they stopped.

"Here is the signal." Stated Harpuia. The three landed next to a burnt up door leading into the ground. After a well place blast from Fefnir, the door was open and the three descended into the lab. They touched down onto the floor below, and a motion activated light turned on. The three stood in shock.

There, suspended in a tank full of green liquid, was Weil, well, half of him anyway.

"My god……he must have built this to restore him when he dies!" Shouted Fefnir.

"Well then we have to stop it!" Harpuia sprung forward with his two sabers drawn. His sabers were an inch from slicing the machine in half, when he was hit in the face and sent flying backward. He skidded to a stop and looked up; again the three were in shock. A black reploid stood in front of Weil's tank. In one hand he held a katana, in the other, throwing stars. Leviathan broke the silence.

"P…Phantom?"

"No way! Your dead!" Fefnir noisily broke in.

"You will not lay a finger on Lord Weil." The three stared at him in disbelief.

"Weil did something to his mind." Began Harpuia. "Lets give him his peaceful rest back."

Harpuia and Leviathan jumped at Phantom, weapons gripped in their hands, while Fefnir charged his cannon. Phantom effortlessly blocked all of Harpuia's slashes with his katana, while using Leviathan's momentum to catch her staff and throw her over his shoulder. Harpuia broke off to catch Leviathan, and Fefnir fired his fully charged cannon. The massive blast hurled towards Phantom. In what seemed all but a brief second. Phantom dodged to the side, hovered his hand over the blast, and used his ninja teleport, to make the blast appear in front of Fefnir. Fefnir shielded himself from the blast the best he could as the blast exploded on top of him, sending him flying into a wall. Harpuia leveled out in the air and let go of Leviathan. She stared at Phantom.

"How can this be? I know Phantom was as tough as you Harpuia, but now he's so much more powerful!"

Fefnir pulled himself out of the wall. "Damn! Weil didn't just mess with his mind!"

"Lord Weil revived me, and made me far more powerful than you will ever be!"

"Damn! He's coming again!" Leviathan raised her staff. Harpuia put a hand on it to stop her. "Harpy?"

"I was holding back because I thought we might be able to save him, but now I see we can't, so I'll hold back nothing. Stay out of this you two."

Leviathan was about protest, but saw the look in Harpuia's eyes. _He looks serious now…jeez, the three of them. Harpuia, Phantom, and Zero all have that fierce glare when they get serious. I better stay out of his way. _

Fefnir saw his glare as well and thought it best if he stayed out of it. "All right Harpuia. Give him what he deserves."

Harpuia stepped forward and drew his swords. Phantom drew his katana and a kunai knife. In an instant Harpuia closed the gap between them, swinging his right sword horizontally. Phantom blocked the slash with his katana.

"I won't give you time to use than kunai!"

Harpuia spun around and slashed with his left, but Phantom blocked it with his kunai.

"Who said I was going to throw the knife?" The two broke apart and took battle stances again. "I'm using this knife to counter your fighting style." Phantom burst toward Harpuia swinging his katana. Harpuia blocked it with his right, but that was what Phantom was expecting. He used the curved edge of his katana to slide off the blade and spun around to slash at Harpuia's head. But, without looking, Harpuia brought his left sword over his head and blocked again.

"You're not the only one who has gotten more powerful, Phantom."

"I guess that means I need to try a bit harder."

"What?"

Before Harpuia could even move, Phantom had delivered a roundhouse kick to his head and sent him flying. Phantom teleported behind Harpuia and kicked him in the back sending him into the air. Disappearing and reappearing again, Phantom gripped his katana and began slashing at Harpuia.

"Ahh…Argh… Gahh!" Harpuia groaned in pain as Phantom increased his attack speed.

"NO!" Leviathan couldn't take it anymore. She gripped her staff and jumped toward Phantom. She swung at Phantom, who was forced to dodge leaving Harpuia to fall to the ground. Leviathan dropped to the ground with him.

"Harpuia! Harpuia! Are you alright?" Harpuia struggled to his feet.

"I can still fight……Argh!" He fell back to the ground, wincing in pain.

"No! Harpuia you can't push yourself like this! You could die!"

"Leviathan look out!" Harpuia pushed her out of the way and Fefnir crashed into him causing him to give another painful shout. Leviathan steadied herself and rushed at phantom again, swinging her staff at him. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't land a blow.

"Enough of this." Phantom swung his katana. Leviathans arm… and her staff fell to the ground.

"A….a…..aaaaaagh!"

"LEVIATHAN!" yelled Harpuia as he tried to get to his feet once again, but fell back down. "STOP YOU MONSTER!" Phantom spun around and stuck his arm straight through her stomach.

"Ah…a…Harpu….ia…" Leviathan fell to the ground, and didn't move.

"Damn you!" Fefnir began to fire a barrage of plasma blasts at Phantom. "There's no way you'll dodge all of these!" But Fefnir was mistaken. Phantom shot through the cloud of plasma blasts like a bullet through paper.

"Away with you."

Fefnir couldn't speak. He only stood. Shuddering at the pain. Phantom's sword was sitting in his chest. His energy core was punctured. He didn't move. All he did was stare forward at Phantom right before he vanished in a fiery explosion.

Harpuia couldn't believe what he was seeing. _Their gone…both gone. No…please say it isn't true. _The fierce green warrior lowered his head and for the first time in his life, shed a tear. But then he picked up something on his sensors. _That's coming from…Leviathan! She's still alive!_ Harpuia dragged himself towards Leviathan. He put his hand on her shoulder. "

"Don't worry Leviathan. I'll get us to the resistance base. Activate teleport! Coordinates 53217!" The two of them disappeared a beam of light. Phantom watched them vanish.

"Run weaklings. You've only prolonged the inevitable. When Lord Weil is revived you will all die anyway."

Harpuia's teleport failed mid flight and the two landed in the middle of a barren savanna. Harpuia struggled to support himself with his hands and knees, forcing his body towards Leviathan. "Leviathan…don't die on me. You're all I have left. Arrgh!" He pushed himself to his feat and picked up Leviathan in his arms. "We'll make it to the resistance base! I promise!"

END FLASHBACK

Harpuia sat silently with his fist clenched. "Fefnir is dead, Leviathan barely clinging to life, Phantom…under mind control, and I…a foolishweakling that couldn't save any of them!"

"Harpuia don't blame yourself…there was nothing you could do. You can't blame yourself for something caused by someone else." Ciels words didn't reach him.

"If I hadn't been so arrogant to challenge him by myself then Fefnir might be alive, and Leviathan wouldn't be at deaths door…"

Ciel didn't know what to say that would calm the mighty warrior. He was just like Zero, so she didn't know what would comfort him.

"But you're right, I can't blame myself." He clenched his fist. "We simply weren't strong enough to beat the new Phantom."

"This business with Weil is serious. Did Zero die for nothing?"

Harpuia's eyes averted back to Zero's helmet.

"If Zero were here things might be easier…" Ciel continued. Harpuia looked back at her.

"Ciel listen to me. I wouldn't give up on Zero just yet. I doubt he's gone for good."

"What?"

"Back when the Four Guardians used to fight against the resistance, we had gathered as much information on Zero as we could in order to learn something about our powerful foe. The most interesting bit was his tendency to survive situations that would mean certain death for anybody else. He overloaded his power source to protect master X and he survived, he boarded a malfunctioning super weapon and survived, he drove a space shuttle into a falling space station to break it into smaller pieces and survived, he even fought against a terrible evil until all that was left of him was his upper body and one arm… and he survived. Are you starting to see a pattern here?"

Ciel was silent. The fact that Zero could still be alive had her overjoyed; yet she was shocked to know that a reploid could survive such circumstances. _How could one live such a life? It must have been hard on him…no wonder he's always so serious._

"Don't give up hope Ciel…after all Zero has been through, I don't think a small crash landing is enough to kill him. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if nothing could kill him. Zero is probably somewhere out there repairing himself right now…and then he'll come back."

Harpuia rose from his seat and exited Ciel's room. She was silent. Thoughts were racing through her head, of what Harpuia had said and of Zero. She thought for a while longer, and then turned to face Zero's helmet. _Harpuia's right, maybe I haven't had enough faith…_ She continued to stare at the helmet… then she smiled.

"Don't worry Zero…I'll wait for you."

---to be continued---

* * *

Ciel has realized that she may have given up too early. Harpuia has given her confidence. Now they must figure out how to deal with this new threat!

thanks for reading! Review please!

Flashgunner over and out!


	3. Thoughts and Emotions

Yes! i put a lot of thought into this chapter. writing a romance fic with two very serious characters is pretty hard to do. you gotta make sure you don't go to far out of character with them.

anyway, Here is the 3rd installment of my Megaman Zero fic.

Story

_thinking_

"talking"

(Me)

Enjoy!

* * *

Megaman Zero: Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 3: Thoughts and Emotions

Ciel sat at her desk filing reports from a scout team that had recently returned. As she worked her thoughts turned to what Harpuia had told her about zero. _If he really is alive…how long will it be until he comes back, what should I say to him when he comes back? How should I approach him? Zero is so hard to read sometimes…he hardly ever shows any emotion, I guess that's typical for a hardened warrior like him. _She snapped back to reality when she realized that she had written 'I love you Zero' on the folder tab instead of the date. She sighed heavily and erased it, replacing it with the date. _I really can't let my mind wander like this. I've barely gotten any work done. _She finished filing and leaned back in her chair. After staring forward for a good three minutes she turned her head to Zero's helmet atop her bookshelf. _Zero…_

A knock came on her door. She sighed again as she got up and made her way to the door. _But…what if he really is dead? What Harpuia told me is only a possibility…… gah I'm worrying too much. I have to keep my hopes up. _She pressed the open button on the door control panel making the door slide open. A little female reploid clutching a white stuffed animal was standing at the door.

"Oh! Hello Alouette! What is it?"

"Ciel Croire came back!"

"What! She came back! Where is she?"

"Follow me!" (For those of you who don't know Croire is the name of the cyber-elf that follows Zero around in MMZ 4 Flash)

Ciel followed the little reploid into the Cyber-elf raising lab. There floating in the middle of the room was quite a large cyber-elf, most of the smaller ones were floating around it.

"Croire!"

"Oh! Ciel! It's nice to see you!"

"I thought we lost you during the crash!"

"No…Zero ordered me to flee right before he gave Weil the final blow.

"Zero…did he say anything else?"

"Yes…he entrusted me with a message for you." Ciel's heart skipped a beat.

"Really what did he say?"

FLASHBACK

Weil's battle body was severely damaged. Zero, a bit damaged himself, was still clutching his Z saber. He turned to Croire.

"Croire… I want you to get out of here. There's no point in losing your life in this crash." Croire looked concerned.

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me."

"But…" Zero turned his back to the elf and faced Weil.

"Croire…I want you to give a message to Ciel for me." Croire knew that there was no changing his mind so she accepted Zero's request.

"Ok… what is it?"

"I will return. I don't know how long it will take, ………

END FLASHBACK

…… but I will come back. That's a promise." As the words left the elf's lips, Ciel's doubt had instantly disintegrated. Now she had the information that Harpuia had given her and a message with a promise directly from Zero. Alouette looked up at Ciel.

"Ciel? Are you sad? You're crying." Ciel hadn't realized that the reassuring words from Zero had brought tears to her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and smiled at the small innocent reploid in front of her.

"No Alouette. I'm overjoyed." Although she didn't fully understand, Alouette was at least happy to hear that from Ciel. She had been a little gloomy lately.

Elsewhere in the base…

Harpuia sat on his bed in the room he was given to live in for the time being. He pondered the situation regarding Weil and Phantom. _There has got to be some way to either defeat or get past Phantom. But how? He was too powerful, and we already lost Fefnir to him. If I had lost Leviathan too I don't know if I would have made an attempt at escape._

As he thought through this painful portion of the past, his thoughts seemed to get locked on Leviathan. _When my teleport failed we were in the middle of no where and all seemed lost. When I saw her and the amount of pain she was in, I was able to pull myself to my feet and carry her the rest of the way, despite the fact that I was damaged beyond such functions like walking or even standing. It's as if the rush of desperation to save her was enough to make me operate beyond my limits._

The green warrior sat bewildered at his own thoughts.._. Could it be…that I feel more for her than just a teammate? How could that be? I'm a battle reploid! I wasn't programmed to be perplexed by such things, yet…… these unexplained emotions I feel now……_

His deep thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." The door hissed and opened. Cerveau walked in.

"Leviathan is awake…" Harpuia's eyes shot towards Cerveau immediately. "I haven't completely finished on her repairs yet. She can only move her upper body and I haven't fixed her voice box yet so she can't talk, but she wants to see you."

"How do you know she wants to see me if she can't talk?"

"When she woke up I explained to her what had happened, how you brought her here, and all of that, then she pointed at your helmet which you left on your recovery bed."

Harpuia was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Alright." He followed Cerveau back to his lab. When they entered Harpuia spotted Leviathan right away. She was sitting on a recovery bed with her back propped up against a pillow. She turned her head toward the two and smiled when she saw Harpuia.

"I'll leave you two alone." Cerveau said as he turned and exited the lab.

Harpuia approached Leviathan. She stuck out her hand when he got near. He took it in his and looked at her. "I'm sorry." He began. "It's my fault that you're like this. I let my pride get the better of me and look what happened." He looked back at her. She mouthed a word but Harpuia didn't understand. She tried again.

"Fefnir?" She nodded. Harpuia hung his head. He didn't want to tell her, it would only bring her more pain, but he had no choice. "Fefnir is dead. Phantom killed him after you were knocked out." A look of shock ran over Leviathan's face. "Again all thanks to my arrogance! It's…it's all my fault!" Harpuia didn't want to look at her. He clenched his fist on his free hand, overwhelmed with shame. But he was taken by surprise when Leviathan pulled him towards her and embraced him in her arms. She had tears in her eyes; it was obviously so much for her to take especially since she was just recovering from deaths door. Harpuia had nearly forgotten that in deep within that warrior soul, Leviathan was still a caring innocent girl. He didn't know what to do, so he played along and hugged her back. When she let go she pointed at her fixed arm and at him and shook her head. She was trying to say that it wasn't his fault. Harpuia could understand her by the look in her eyes.

"Levi……" He paused for a moment. "You should get some rest now. Once Cerveau restores your voice it will be easier for us to communicate." She pushes a strand of blue hair out of her face as she watched the green haired fighter exit the room.

Harpuia heaved a long sigh after he was outside the door.

"Oh, Harpuia how are you feeling?" Harpuia looked up and saw Ciel walking towards him.

"Terrible." Ciel raised an eyebrow. "It's nothing you need to worry about." He turned and headed down the hallway.

Back in the lab Leviathan had laid herself back down and was staring at the ceiling. There were many things she wanted to say to Harpuia, but she couldn't talk. For her it was so painful to Harpuia lashing at himself. _It wasn't his fault…I reacted recklessly when I saw him under Phantoms assault. There's not much I can say that'll change his mind though. He's a bit stubborn when it comes to situations like this… _

She turned her head and faced Harpuia's helmet. _Cerveau mentioned that Harpy carried me here. How was he able to do that with all his injuries? Does he care about me so much that he would push himself like that? Not Harpy…I've never heard about anything like that from him. He's such a serious warrior. He probably hides his true emotions… Never the less I owe him my life. Thank you Harpy……_

Suddenly the base alarm went off. Leviathan watched as Harpuia burst into the room and grabbed his helmet. He glanced once at her and left. _I can never tell what he's thinking…_

Ciel rushed to the operations room.

"What's going on?"

"We have reploid signals coming from the location of Weil's lab!" the operator was quick to reply, "The signals are moving towards the temporary Neo Arcadian evac-location!"

"They're going to attack the humans!"

"What course of action should we take Miss Ciel?"

"Send a defensive force there on the double! Zero will lead……oh no…"

"Excuse me Miss Ciel? Who will lead them?"

_I had completely forgotten that Zero isn't here! What should we do?_

"I'll lead them." Ciel spun around and saw Harpuia walking into the operations room.

"Are you sure? You were just repaired."

"I took an oath long ago to protect all of humanity…" He gripped his helmet and slipped it on his head. "…I'm not about to break that oath. I'll fight now for the future of both humans and reploids."

Ciel smiled, in the past she would have never heard that from a Neo Arcadian Guardian, "Thank you Harpuia. Assemble the forces! They will be led into battle by Harpuia!"

---To be Continued---

* * *

Harpuia heads for battle! But another unexpected reunion approaches!

Ok i'll stop killin ya.

pleasereview!

Flashgunner over and out!


	4. For the Sake of All

Darn! now that i'm off spring break it's gonna be harder to update, but i'll try the best i can for the sake of my readers.

This is the forth installment of Believe in me my Megaman Zero story. I own nothing, but The name Guile Rayner, and Harpuia's layer defense stratagy. )

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(Me)

Enjoy!

* * *

Megaman Zero: Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 4: For the Sake of All

A line of military trucks rode towards the temporary human location. A green reploid stood on top of the lead truck. The camp came into view. There 5 buildings that had been constructed temporarily that each had two floors and a basement. The buildings were fairly large and, put together, had enough space for all of the humans were evacuated. In total the entire complex was about sixty yards long and wide. As they approached the buildings, a resistance soldier peeked out of the truck window at the green reploid.

"Sir! We will arrive at the location in three minutes! Shall we start to spread out?"

"Yes… have the trucks break off and form a perimeter around the camp. Once in place tell the soldiers to meet at my location so I can brief them on my strategy."

"Yes sir!" The trucks began to break off and surround the camp, encasing it in a wall of protection. The lead truck stopped at the front gate. Harpuia jumped down and walked into the settlement. Some humans began to appear from the buildings, wondering what the sudden ruckus and appearance of reploids was for.

"Attention all humans! Several of Weil's reploids are heading this way! I'd advise that you take refuge underground!" A panic started. Harpuia took a deep breath, "Listen to me!" The humans stopped and stared at him. "You have to remain calm and take refuge in an orderly manner. I swear that I will not let a single human die here today." The humans were silent. Until…

"Where were you when that giant laser destroyed all of our homes!" Harpuia looked to the side and saw a man pointed at him as he made this retort. "How can we trust any reploids after one of you fired on us and killed thousands!" Another spoke up a woman this time.

"We're all sick of your stupid wars! Can't the reploids just go away leave us alone?"

Harpuia looked the two in the eyes, "So you'd rather have me and all of the resistance soldiers leave, so Weil's reploids can come and slaughter you all."

"Well…no…but…" then another man stepped forward and faced the humans that retorted.

"Both of you shut up!" everyone looked surprised. "Without Harpuia here most of us… or all of us could be dead! There was nothing he could do to prevent the giant laser from firing, and he knew it too! So he did his best to get us all here alive and now you criticize him!"

The two humans hung their heads and everybody else stood silent looking at the human who was talking. "I too believe that some reploids are not to be trusted, but reploids like Harpuia and the resistance soldiers, who risked their lives to save ours, have earned my trust." Harpuia came forward.

"What is your name?"

"Me? My name is Guile. Guile Rayner." Harpuia put a hand on Guile's shoulder.

"Thank you for believing in us Guile, you are an admirable human." Harpuia then turned to the rest of the humans. "I am fighting now for the sake of the future for all humans and reploids. Please take refuge underground and we will defend this camp with our lives." Harpuia turned his back and began to walk. Then something happened. Something that Harpuia did not expect. The humans began to cheer. He didn't turn back around, but among the cheers he heard people saying things like 'thank you' and 'we believe in you.' _I must fight for the future. So both human and reploid may one day live in peace._

Back at the resistance base…

"Ok how's that?"

"I…ca…som…wha…tal…"

"Hm…not quite." Cerveau was trying his best to fix Leviathan's voice system. "How's that?"

"I'll try to…hey! You did it I can talk again!"

"Good! Now I can finally repair your legs and you'll be out of here after a short recovery. Leviathan was relieved. It was hard not being able to talk. Now there was one question on her mind that was killing her.

"Cerveau what was that alarm that I heard?"

"Oh that…apparently Weil sent an army towards the human evac location."

"What! Oh no!"

"Don't worry. We sent a force out there to defend them, and Harpuia's leading them."

"Harpy is leading them?"

"Yes…with him on our side I have no doubt that the defense will be a success."

"I guess so." Leviathat stared forward. _I just hope that phantom isn't there…please be careful Harpy…Fefnir is gone, Neo arcadia is gone… you're all I have left…_

Back with Harpuia…

"Alright listen up soldiers! Our defensive strategy will be based on layers. This will be the set up for all the positions. The trucks will be used as a wall. This wall is our last resort if all the other lines are broken through. Twenty yards ahead of that will be barricades with our long range weaponry behind them. Ten yards ahead of them will be another barricade with normal weaponry. Their task will be to fire on approaching enemies and guard the long range weaponry. The front line will dig trenches and attack approaching forces, the trenches should be low enough that the second line can fire over them while they shoot as well. Finally, a group of soldiers will be placed inside the camp should there be a case of a last stand… Brave soldiers of the resistance, let us all fight now… for our future and the future of the humans. But most of all lets fight for the future of our world!" Cheers came from the crowd as the soldiers held their weapons above their head. _We're all in this together. Our motivation for a new era will make us strong!_ "Alright men get to it! And good luck."

The soldiers quickly dispersed and prepared the defenses. A scout approached Harpuia.

"Sir! Our tactical sensors indicate that the enemy should appear in about an hour!"

"That's plenty of time to prepare. You are dismissed."

As the scout left him, Harpuia looked towards the sky. _What should I do? I guess I'll stay at the main gate or aid any position that begins to thin. _The green warrior heaved a sigh. _So much has happened. Before Zero came along all my life was put towards saving humanity and killing reploids that we believed were mavericks. Zero changed everything. Master X, Elpizo, the Dark elf, Omega, and Weil. Zero was the current that changed the course of the river. Now I find my self in a position I would have never been in back then. _

Harpuia crossed his arms and leaned against the lead truck. _And now all these new emotions that have been confusing me too. There is something that pulls my thoughts to Levi. Is this what humans call love? It is still something I don't fully unserstand. What makes a reploid love? Why are we given emotions? Are emotions strong enough to overpower our own programming? I guess even a reploid programmed only to fight has no control over it. Perhaps the humans gave us emotions so we could fit in among them. We could share their feelings instead of being mindless machines that follow orders without question or hesitation._

The green warrior grunted silently. _Enough. There are too many questions running through my head. I need to focus on the battle._ Harpuia rose up into the air and flew around to observe the battle preparation.

An hour passes…

"Here they come!" Shouts a soldier from atop a truck. Harpuia flies up high. As he had suspected, the enemy force had split up and surrounded the camp. What he hadn't counted on was the large difference in number of soldiers.

_Weil has sent more reploids than I thought…no matter, our defensive strategy cannot fail. _Harpuia landed on the lead truck and drew his two swords. _The time has come. _"OPEN FIRE!" Instantly the area was lit up by plasma rifle fire. The first and second line held nothing back as they bombarded the approaching enemy. The purple Weil reploids broke from march to run and began approaching the base at a quicker pace. The resistance long range weaponry began to fire, raining hell down on Weil's reploids. Weil's reploids, in return, also opened fire. Plasma blasts flew in every direction. Weil's reploids began to fire scatter missiles and napalm bullets, the trenches got hit fast and hard. The second line tried their best to assist the wavering trench line, but he defenses were already weakening. A couple stations had already lost their trenches. And the barricades were being bludgeoned by enemy fire.

_Something's not right… _Harpuia could sense it. _Weil must have some sort of shielding program on them! Our weapons aren't having as much of an effect as they should… I guess I have to step in. _Harpuia dove at a random location in the reploids. No sooner did he land did he begin slashing away at Weil's creations. They stood no chance. Even if they had time to fire, Harpuia would only reflect it back at them with his sabers. He sent three sonic booms in different directions, creating paths, he dove down one of the paths holding his sabers outward, slashing anything to his sides. Then he pulled up and flew quickly to another location to keep the defenses as strong as possible. Harpuia's help had slowed the advance, but some stations were already under the last resort coveer of their truck. Harpuia wasn't fast enough to cover all that ground efficiently, but he fought on with all his might.

Near the back of Weil's troops stood a high performance reploid. He was bigger than Harpuia, sported a black cloak, and carried a large multi purpose weapon. "I didn't expect Harpuia to be allied with the resistance… I guess I might have to get my hands dirty after all…If he continues to be a nuisance."

"Huff…Huff…" _There's way too many of them. Some of our defenses are on the brink of failure. I guess I'll have to thin their forces with one mighty blow…_ Harpuia Flew above the center of the camp. Slowly he gathered his energy; a green aura began to surround him. He smashed his sabers together in a criss-cross shape; red electricity began to pulse around it.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Harpuia thrusted his sabers above his head and a read bolt of lightning shot into the sky. The clouds became dark; a massive shadow loomed over the battle field. "BE GONE!" Harpuia swung his sabers downward, causing red bolts of lightning to plunge from the clouds upon Weil's army. Explosion after explosion, crack after crack of lighting. The resistances soldiers watched in awe at the mighty power of Harpuia.

When the dust cleared, the numbers among the enemy forces had dropped dramatically.

"They've been weakened! Let's finish them off!" Yelled a resistance soldier. Again they opened fire. Harpuia, panting, descended to the lead truck.

"Report." A soldier approached him.

"Current casualties are…forty seven dead one hundred and sixty three wounded."

"Forty seven dead… I always hate to lose good soldiers…, but Weil's reploids were much stronger than I had anticipated."

"Sir! The enemy is dropping in numbers at a high rate."

"Good keep firing." Suddenly a radio message came to Harpuia.

"Kzzt…SIR! We need help! We thi….Kzzzt….emy General…Kzzzt…He's too pow…Kzzzt….AHHHHH!" The radio cut off.

"Quick! Which location was that transmission coming from?"

"Defense post seven Sir!"

Harpuia didn't even respond. He took off the instant he heard the location.

Back at the resistance base……

Ciel entered Cerveau's lab. Leviathan turned her head to see who it was.

"Hello Ciel…it has been a while."

"Yes…how are you feeling?" Ciel asked as she approached the recovery bed.

"Thanks to Cerveau I'm getting better. He just finished fixing my legs, so I should be able to walk again after a couple days rest."

"That's good to hear." Ciel was silent for a moment. _I need to know if reploids also…_ "Leviathan?"

"Yes?"

"This may be a little bit of an awkward question…but…Do you have anybody that…is special to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…I mean…can reploids fall in love?"

Leviathan was quiet for a brief time. "Yes…we are built and programmed to have emotions just like humans. Why do you ask?"

"Well…um…"

"Zero right?"

"What! Oh…um…yes." Ciel looked down, face red at the fact that she was so obvious to Leviathan.

Leviathan smiled "You worry a little too much Ciel…We are completely capable of falling in love, why do you think I admire Harpuia so mu…" Leviathan covered her mouth and blushed madly.

Ciel giggled "Don't worry I wont say a thing to him…" She looked at the floor, "I was just worried about me being a human."

"I don't think that matters." Ciel looked up and faced Leviathan. "Did you know about Neige and Craft?"

"What? They were…?"

"Yes…so you see, I think you know better than me that love can overcome any obstacles, no matter what they may be. After all it's you humans that made reploids with these emotions."

"I guess you're right."

"Now don't worry anymore! When Zero comes back I'm sure everything will work out just fine."

"Yes. It is best to be optimistic about it." Ciel turned to the door. "Thanks for helping me out." She left the room.

Ciel sighed once she was outside the lab. She walked to her room and sat down at her desk. Her eyes moved to Zero's helmet. "Please come home soon Zero……I miss you…"

Defense post seven……

Harpuia landed at the outpost. It had been completely ravaged, and bodies of resistance soldiers lay everywhere. Harpuia surveyed the site until his eyes came upon a shadowy figure. He quickly drew his sabers. "Show yourself scum!" The figure moved forward and the dust cleared, revealing a green battle reploid.

Harpuia couldn't believe his eyes. "Craft!" Indeed it was.

"Harpuia, you've become a thorn in Weil's plans. Upon Lord Weil's orders I must destroy you now."

"Can't Weil just let the dead rest in peace? I will help you return to eternal rest."

"We'll see about that." Craft threw off his cloak and took a battle stance, his multi-purpose cannon resting on his shoulders.

Harpuia also took his battle stance. "I cannot lose…I'm fighting for the sake of us all." _I'm fighting for the future…for humans… for reploids…and for Leviathan._

---To be continued---

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CLIFFHANGER!

um...yeah...anyway, like i mentioned before, i'm back in school now, so updates will note be as quick as they were for the first three chapters, but i'll do the best i can.

In the next chapter...Battle commences between the green warriors, but is something terrible about to happen? Will Zero ever come home? Find out in the next chapter of Believe in me!

Ah one more thing... just so you understand, Guile Rayner is the name i use for my jedi in theKnights of the Old Republicgames. Just liked the sound of the name...sounded all hero like and such.

Please review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	5. A Hero Always makes it in Time

Phew! i managed to get this whole chapter done in a day! school really hinders my work.

Here is the fifth installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(Me)

Enjoy!

* * *

Megaman Zero: Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 5: A Hero Always makes it in Time

The air was pierced by a blue laser blast that flew towards Harpuia, he leaned back to let it pass over him, and rolled out of the way as Craft jumped over him and plunged his weapon into the ground. Harpuia righted himself and charged, swinging in an x shape at Craft. Craft fired his laser cannon into the ground to propel himself into the air and out of harms way, or so he had hoped. Harpuia spun around and launched himself upward, swinging again at Craft, who dodged by a paper width. Craft tumbled to the ground and launched four homing missiles. Harpuia cut through the air, slicing each missile in half as he swooped by. Craft's only option was to shield himself with his weapon, as harpuia swung and made contact with it.

"Give up Craft! You are outmatched!" Craft, inconspicuously drew a yellow saber from behind his back.

"No I think we're about equal."

Craft thrust his saber through his own weapon at Harpuia. Harpuia, caught completely off guard, reacted as quickly as he could, suffering a cut on his left shoulder. Craft spun around and swung downward, Harpuia jumped back and propelled himself forward the instant his foot hit the ground. The two became locked in an intense sword duel. Blow after blow, swing after swing. Craft was right, they were evenly matched. The battle continued for a good half hour, but it seemed like only seconds to the two warriors. Suddenly, Craft jumped back and withdrew his sword.

"Surrendering Craft?"

"Hmph…of course not. I have merely completed my mission."

"What are you talking about?"

"By now our raiders will have reached the resistance base, and everybody inside will soon be dead." Then Craft teleported away.

"Raiders! NO! This attack was all a distraction! Activate teleport! Coordinates 53217!" Nothing happened. "Oh no…NO! They set up a teleport shield!"

_LEVI! _

Harpuia didn't wait an instant more. When Leviathan in danger came to mind he immediately shot up into the sky and rocketed towards the resistance base as fast as his jets could take him.

The some soldiers noticed him as he flew away.

"Was that Commander Harpuia?"

"Yeah it was!"

"I wonder where he's going."

The humans had already emerged from their shelters and were walking about the camp.

Suddenly a red streak zoomed by them. Creating a sonic boom as it past.

"Holy shit!"

"Did you see that?"

"I couldn't see what it was, it was moving too fast!"

Guile approached the reploids that were talking.

"Weren't Harpuia and that red streak both heading towards your base? That's the same direction you guys came from."

The reploids stared off into the distance. "Yeah he's right!"

Back at the resistance base…

Black figures began to appear from the vents and from behind boxes in the main hallway. Behind them lay resistance soldiers they had killed silently. There was eight of them. Black stealth reploids created by Weil to infiltrate the resistance base, kill all the reploids and kill Ciel. The killers were lightly armored for quickness and sported an energy knife customized for quick and silent assassinations. Their most distinguishing feature was the red W on all their faces. They broke off into groups. Four went towards the computer room and the other four went to clear out the rest of the building. As the four approached the computer room, a resistance soldiers luckily spotted one of the black reploids as he killed another soldier, before he was slaughtered he managed to pull the alarm switch. The Alarm buzzed throughout the base, alerting all of the soldiers and Ciel. The soldiers in the area quickly barricaded the door to the computer room and began to fire, hoping that they could take down the threat and keep Ciel and Cerveau safe. The other four had found their way to Cerveau's lab.

Inside Cerveaus lab a couple seconds before the alarm…

Leviathan was trying to walk, her legs had been fixed and Cerveau told her she'd need a few days rest, but she wanted to try walking anyway.

"Ah…" She stumbled, but caught hold of her bed side before she fell. _Oh well… at least I can stand._ The sudden buzz of the alarm startled Leviathan and she almost lost grip of her bed side. "What's going on!" She began to panic.

A couple hundred miles away from the resistance base……

Harpuia raced towards the base as fast as he could. _This isn't fast enough! If I don't get back in time…Levi might be… _Then once again, it happened. Once again the thought of Leviathan's death sent a painful shockwave through his mind. He suddenly picked up speed and the air around him ignited as he burst through the sky as a fireball.

About on hundred meters behind Harpuia, the red streak also picked up speed as if it was trying to follow him.

Back with Leviathan…

Leviathan's long blue hair swung back and forth as she looked around the room, panic stricken. She heard a noise. Her eyes snapped into position looking towards the sound. She began to breathe harder and sweat as she continued to stare at the location. She didn't know what to do. She didn't have her staff and nobody was around to help her. She was completely unprotected. Then they instantly appeared around her. The black reploids drew their knives and pulled back to strike. Leviathan screamed… her mind was racing. _Someone… anyone… help me! Someone please help me! Harpuia! Help me Harpy!_

The base suddenly shook violently as if something had crashed into it. The Black reploids were confused. The building continued to shake in intervals. Crash… Crash… Crash. The noises came closer and closer, until the wall to the lab was blown through and pink saber slashes minced the reploids into pieces. Leviathan opened her eyes, and what she saw made her beyond happy.

"I…huff…huff…made it."

"Harpy!" Leviathan tried to walk towards him, but tripped and fell onto her hands and knees. Harpuia quickly removed his helmet and rushed over to her. He got down on one knee in front of her, making sure she was ok. Leviathan threw her arms around him. "Hapy… you are my guardian angel." Harpuia wrapped his arms around her as well.

"There's no way I'd let you die Levi. I've lost so much recently…If I lost you too… I don't know if I'd have any will to live."

"Harpy…" He had touched her heart, she felt like saying to him right then and there that she loved him.

He was beginning to understand what love meant. He began to see how powerful the emotion was. Right now he didn't feel like leaving the position they were it. But their moment was cut short by a scream of pain.

Harpuia quickly stood up. "I forgot about Ciel! She and Cerveau are still in danger!"

"Oh no! Hurry Harpy!" Harpuia grabbed his helmet and dashed down the hall.

In the computer room Ciel was pinned against a wall with two resistance soldiers trying their best defend her. Cerveau was damaged by an explosion and was lying on the ground. Ciel watched min horror as the resistance soldiers in the computer room were being murdered. _We're done for! There's nothing we can do to stop these things. _The resistance soldiers defending her were killed, and the four began to approach Ciel. _No…NO! I promised Zero that I would wait for him! It can't end like this…it can't I'm…I'm sorry… Zero… _She dropped to her knees.

Harpuia turned the corner and looked into the room.

"NOOO!" He couldn't make it in time the black reploids had already swung.

There was silence…cold silence…the kind of silence that makes you shiver as it creeps down your spine while time seems to stop all around you. Ciel had closed her eyes when she saw the reploids swing. _Am I dead? _She heard four explosions. _What!_ She opened her eyes.

The first thing she caught sight of was long yellow hair and a green saber. She looked up and noticed red armor as her eyes scanned what was in front of her. She was stiff for a second… the fear of dying had taken its toll on her at the time. But she knew what she saw now, and she knew she wasn't dreaming. He was right there. Right there in front of her. He finally had come back to her. A tear of joy began to roll down her face.

"Zero…"

Zero turned around and faced Ciel. He got down on one knee and asked her in his usual tone of voice,

"Are you ok Ciel?"

She couldn't take it anymore. She flung her arms around him.

"Zero! Zero! Oh Zero! You came back!"

Zero was taken completely by surprise by this, but decided to return the embrace.

"Looks like I made back it just in time."

"You always do Zero… you always do…"

---To be Continued---

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Woo HOO! finally get to use zero in the story as of the next chapter!

Next time everybody welcomes our hero home, but much work is to be done about Weil. Next time in Believe in me ch. 6!

please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	6. A Short Respite part 1: What is Love?

Dang! Computer problems have only added to the things that slow down my writing.

nnnnnnyway... i finally finished the sixth installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(Me talking)

enjoy! (please)

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 6: A Short Respite part 1: What is Love?

It was as if nothing had ever happened. Everything carried on like it used to. Zero had come back, but that was the piece that completed the puzzle for a normal day in the resistance base. Leviathan went on to make a full recovery, spending most of her time being trained by Harpuia, Cerveau was repaired and went back to work immediately, Ciel was busily making plans about how to counter Weil, and Zero…well… was being Zero. He'd stand on the roof of the base most of the time; occasionally he would walk through the base. Unless he was called to action he would never do anything unless he could help anywhere. This is what it was always like and this is what it's like now.

Ciel was in her office going over report papers. She was a little upset that she still hadn't told Zero about how she felt. _When he came back, I wanted to tell him so badly. But I always freeze when I'm about to. _She put the files away in a file cabinet marked, "Reviewed," and slumped back in her chair. _Just how do you attract a reploid anyway? I guess being human doesn't help unless it's under certain circumstances. If he wasn't so anti-social this might be easier…_

There was a knock at her door. "Come in."

The door slid open and speak of the devil. "Zero!" Her heart began to beat faster. "Y-yes what is i-it?" She began to stutter.

"Cerveau wanted me to give you this report on Leviathan's recovery."

_That's it? Darn. _She thought to herself. "Thank you Zero." He turned and left the room without saying anything else. Ciel watched the red warrior leave. _Sometimes for a reploid he seems so… robotic…_

Zero walked back down the hallway. _Not much has changed here besides Harpuia and Leviathan's residence. Ciel seems a little different though. She almost seems…shy around me. Bah… maybe it's just my imagination… I **have** been gone for a while. _He continued to walk though the base with his thoughts running circles around each other in his head. _I guess I need to just take time to think freely._ He took a turn down a hallway that led to the roof. On the way he past the training room.

"HYAA!" Leviathan swung vertically at Harpuia, who held one sword up to block it. She followed up with more swings from different directions, while Harpuia blocked each one, shifting his steps lightly to keep his balance.

"Good. Keep at it." The crunching of staff upon saber continued for a short period until Leviathan fell backwards panting. Harpuia still stood upright. "Ok I think we should rest now." He helped her up and move over to the wall where they both removed their helmets and sat down.

As Leviathan slowly regained her breath, Harpuia's eyes were fixed on her face as he scanned her features. Her pretty face, her long blue hair, and her beautiful blue eyes. _I never thought I would ever be capable of getting lost in an emotion like love… I guess the winds of time have changed their course. _

Leviathan turned her head and the two were face to face. "Harpy… you never used to train me before… why the sudden change?"

_Oh boy… what to say… I got it… _"Leviathan… I want you to be stronger… I want you be able to protect yourself… it will help me fight knowing that you are safe through your own abilities."

_He's changed so much… _

"Levi… you are pretty much all I have left and vice versa. We need to both be strong to be there for one another."

Leviathan smiled and let out a small giggle.

"Hm? Did I say something funny?"

"No Harpy…it's just…you're so much different from what you used to be."

"Different?" _The only change I noticed was the rush of emotion… what else?_

"Well… you used to be a super serious warrior. Now you've lightened up a bit. You used to be stiff and always on guard. Now you're more relaxed. Finally, you used to only care about success in battle. Now you care about other things, and you care about me."

Harpuia was silent as he thought over her words.

"And…I like you this way. Please stay like this." Leviathan blushed a little as she said this.

Harpuia closed his eyes and smiled at this comment. "I never really thought about it that way."

"Well so much for taking a short rest… there's no way we'll be able to concentrate after a conversation like this." Leviathan edged toward Harpuia. "I think I'll call it a day…" She planted a small kiss on Harpuia's cheek. "Thanks for helping me, Harpy." She grabbed her helmet, got up, and walked out of training room rather quickly to conceal her red face.

Not that it would have mattered though. Her action had left Harpuia's face red across the face as well. _Did she just…kiss me? She did… Just as I was beginning to understand love things begin to go crazy again. Now I'm filled with the urge to be around Levi. Although it seems rather bewildering to me it's probably normal when it comes to love. _As he grabbed his helmet and stood up, Ciel entered the training room.

"Ah! Harpuia! Have you seen Zero?"

"He's probably on the roof again… but you shouldn't bother him.

"Huh? But…I…um…"

"Ciel… the reason I'm putting my word in for Zero's privacy is because he needs alone time."

"Alone time?"

"Yes... Since I am a warrior like Zero I can read what he's thinking through his actions. The reason he tries to isolate himself is to clear his thoughts."

"Clear his thoughts?"

"Right… I would have to guess that he has a certain memory that is extremely painful to him. It was probably something that hit him so hard that it may explain why he conceals his emotions. Sometimes an event can be so tragic… that it can completely change a person. So he has to clear his thoughts to stop that one memory from overtaking his mind."

"Never the less… I want to see him for both of our sakes."

_Both? _"Suit yourself." Answered Harpuia, shrugging. Ciel exited the training room. _Then again this is Ciel we're talking about… if anybody can talk to him about anything, the best choice would be her._

On the rooftop…

Zero gazed outward from the base at the reddish orange sunset. He sighed as he cleared his thoughts and enjoyed the silence. Until…

"Zero!" Zero's eyes quickly averted to the roof access door.

"Ciel…"

"Zero…we have decided that we will attack Weil in three days… is that enough time for you to get settled back in?"

"It doesn't matter… I wouldn't mind going now… but a short respite wouldn't hurt." Zero looked back at the sunset.

"It has been a while since I've seen a sunset… I've been stuck in my office most of the time. It's beautiful…"

"And it will stay that way if we defeat Weil." Ciel turned and faced Zero. "Weil survived our last encounter… but this time I'll make sure he's gone for good. The peace process will never be disturbed again." Zero looked at Ciel. "Doesn't that sound nice?" Ciel hadn't expected that from Zero.

"Yes… it sounds wonderful."

"All my life I've been fighting… always searching for a reason or a powerful ideal… my whole life has been a battle. Right now peace is sounding very welcoming." Zero walked past Ciel who was still staring out at the sunset. "Ciel…" Ciel turned around and faced the crimson clad fighter. "It feels good to be back with you and the resistance." Zero looked over his shoulder. "I will do whatever you need me to, to achieve peace and happiness for all reploids and humans." With that, Zero walked down the steps back into the base.

Ciel remained outside for a few seconds, thinking to herself. _Zero… How does someone like you exist? You are beyond anything the imagination can create. I guess that's why I fell in love with you…_

After a good minute of thinking she too, went back into the base.

………

It was late at night and Leviathan was taking a walk because she couldn't sleep. Although she was tired, something was keeping her from catching some shut eye. Her long blue hair swayed back and forth as she passed night shift guards, who greeted her warmly as they passed. She passed by the computer room, Ciel's room, Zero's room, the training room…Harpuia's room. She stopped. _I wonder if Harpy is still awake. _She pressed the keypad button and the door hissed open. She entered the room and saw Harpuia on his bed. She approached silently and kneeled down beside his bed. She stared at his sleeping face as she listened to his soft, even breathing. _Harpy… I want you to know that I love you… but do you love me?_ She got up to leave, but something stopped her. _No I want to stay here with him. _She softly and quietly climbed into the bed next to him and gingerly snuggled up against his body. Before she could think twice about what she was doing,fatigue won over her, whatever was troubling her mind had stopped, and she fell asleep almost instantly.

The next day…

Harpuia slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Yawning, he closed his eyes again and attempted to shift his position. It was then he realized that there was something weighing him down. _What the… _He looked at the bed.

"Wah! Levi?"

"huuuh…?" Leviathan opened her eyes wearily. Her eyes shot open when she realized just exactly was going on, "Oh my god!" She sat upright and looked back and forth. Her face was red. "I… uh…" Harpuia just stared at her.

_Why was she in my bed? Unless… oh man…_ "Levi…"

"I…I'm sorry Harpy…I was just… walking last night…and…and I stopped here and…"

"Shh…that's enough. It doesn't matter…" _Something's happening… I suddenly want to… _A small blush appeared across Harpuia's face.

_I have to tell him now… _"Harpy…I…um…" She tried to force the words out, to no avail. But…

_I can't stop myself now… _Harpuia grabbed Leviathan by the shoulders and pulled her towards him… pressing his lips upon hers. Leviathan was taken completely by surprise. But in a second she didn't mind at all. She willingly returned the kiss. The two shifted their position so that he had his arms wrapped around her waist and she had her arms wrapped around his neck as the fervid moment continued.

When they broke apart from each other, they stared into each other's eyes.

"Wow…" Leviathan said quietly.

Harpuia hugged her tightly, "Levi… not to long ago I was utterly confused about the feelings I felt toward you. But now…I think I understand them clearly. I love you Levi."

"I love you too Harpy…with all my heart."

Their lips met again in another passionate kiss…to their dismay, it was cut short.

"Zero, Ciel, Harpuia, and Leviathan… Please report to the elf room."

"Damn…oh well…" Harpuia got up and Leviathan followed him.

"Let's go… together." Leviathan coiled her left arm with Harpuia's right as they exited the room.

---To be continued---

* * *

Ah romance... don't you just love it? It makes feel all warm and fuz... oh! heheh sorry.

there you have it! Leviathan and Harpuia finally got together. Now just in case anyone was wondering... i did intend for these two to come together early in the story. The developement between Zero and Ciel is going to take longer...MUCH longer.

In the next chapter... Croire introduces a new ally to Zero. Not really new actually, but you'll have to wait to find out!

please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out.


	7. A Short Respite part 2: Old Grudges

Yikes...computer poroblems and school have really slowed down my working pace...

I apalogize for the long gapes in between my work recently, i just got rid of my comp problems, but finals are approaching at my school and i'll be pressed for time.

Anyway onto the optomistic stuff!

This here is the seventh installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thoughts_

(Me) - i say a couple things in this chapter. )

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 7: A Short Respite part 2: New allies come with old grudges.

"Zero, Ciel, Harpuia, and Leviathan… Please report to the elf room."

"Hmph."

Zero continued to stare out into the sunrise from atop the base. _All my life has been battle after battle, war after war… I've never really lived during peace time before… well actually there was one peace time… that was when I knew……… _"argh." Grunted Zero as he shook his head. _No. The memory brings too much pain. Just clear the mind. _Zero stood there, silent, for a couple minutes before he realized that he was called to the elf room about ten minutes ago. _I guess I'll continue this later. _He walked down the steps into the base.

The Elf room…

The doors hissed as Zero entered the room. Everyone was already there. Ciel, Cerveau, Croire, Harpuia, and Leviathan, who was standing rather close to Harpuia.

"Ok. Now that Zero is here we can begin. Croire?" Cerveau moved and let the Elf come forward. She faced Zero, Harpuia, and Leviathan.

"From what I've heard, you three will be heading into a fierce battle. You will need all the help you can get. So I've brought it upon myself to call a fellow Cyber-Elf. I'm sure you know him." A green light appeared next to her. It let out a brilliant flash of light, forcing the rest to cover their eyes. When the light faded, in place of the green light, stood a reploid donning silver armor and a magenta energy rapier.

"Elpizo." Zero broke the silence.

"Elpizo?" Harpuia's thoughts began to race the minute he laid eyes on the figure.

"Zero! Ciel! It has been to long since I last saw both of you!"

"Yes it has! How have you…" Ciel wasn't able to finish.

Harpuia's thoughts were spinning. Images of himself being humiliated and images of master X being killed flooded his mind. (Events of Megaman Zero 2 if you didn't know.) He clenched his fist as he tried to contain his anger.

"Harpy? What's wrong?" Leviathan looked at him with concerned eyes as she whispered, "You're shaking!"

"YOU!" Everyone's eyes snapped to Harpuia as jumped and drew his sabers, flying towards Elpizo. Elpizo reacted instantly, pulling out his rapier to block the slash. The rest of the group just watched, perplexed as to why Harpuia would attack.

"Harpuia! What are you doing!" Elpizo questioned as he blocked two more slashes.

"You humiliated me! And you killed Master X! For that I'll destroy you!" Harpuia pressed his attack. Leviathan drew her staff and was about to try and stop Harpuia, but Zero had already stepped in.

THWACK!

Harpuia was sent backwards into a wall. "That's enough Harpuia." Zero said as he unclenched his fist.

"Zero… you know better than anyone else here what the pride of a warrior is."

"Yes… and I also know that you just let your anger get the better of you, which is unlike you."

"Fine let him tell us what he wants… I still don't trust him." Harpuia retorted as he stood up and brushed himself off."

"Now then…" Began Elpizo as everybody turned to see him. Croire here decided I would be a valuable aid against Weil, so she asked the Mother Elf (Megaman Zero 2 and 3) to give me a temporary body in order to help you out."

"That's great!" Commented Ciel.

"But… another more important reason for why I am here is that I found out something about the reploids that Weil has possessed as his minions. It seems as though the reploid is first rebuilt, and activated. But the body is then possessed by some of Weil's mind, allowing him to control their every action. From what I've studied, it would seem that the reploids are still living under the possession and still have individual thoughts, leaving the reploids mind the only thing that's not taken."

"So you're saying that the reploids can see what they are doing, but they have no control over it?"

"Precisely Cerveau. Unfortunately I found no possible way to break the hold that Weil has on them. My guess would be, that the one who is possessed can only break free if it has a tremendous will, and the ability to use it."

"That's horrible… I can't imagine living when you're not in control of your own body." Ciel added.

"Now…we have a couple days until we attack?"

"Two days." Zero solidly explained as he turned around and headed for the door, "We'll attack in two days, be ready by then." Zero exited the room and Harpuia did the same soon after, without saying a word. Leviathan followed him.

Elpizo approached Cerveau and Ciel. "So I see Zero hasn't changed much."

"Yup, he's no different…" Cerveau and Elpizo kept talking, but Ciel faced the door. Her eyes retraced direction in which Zero walked. She glanced back at the two before walking down the hallway towards Zero's room. _What is it Zero? What memory do you have that forces you to lock away your emotions? _She approached Zero's room, but found that he was not there. _Oh… he's probably on the roof again…_

Indeed he was. Zero was once again staring out along the horizon. He closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths before leaning against the wall and taking his usual pose. (Arms crossed, right leg over the left, head bent down slightly, and hair flowing in the wind. Flash). His memories flowed through his head once more, memories of his past friends, fights, and actions. He still blocked out his most painful memory, he made sure to because it always evoked emotional pain.

Ciel stood at the entrance to the roof and watched Zero. She wanted to know why Zero was always so sullen, but she didn't know how to ask him.

"Zero!" Ciel quickly took a step back to hide herself from his sight as Zero looked up from his position. The voice belonged to Harpuia, who had landed near him.

"What."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Be specific."

Harpuia pointed at Zero, "You know damn well what I'm talking about."

"Elpizo? Give it a rest Harpuia, he was lost in the power of the Dark Elf when he attacked Neo Arcadia."

"I still don't trust him. I don't know how you can!"

"This is no time for personal grudges. If you want to get him back for what he did save it for afterward."

"What exactly makes you believe he can be trusted after what he did?"

"As a warrior I trust anyone who is willing to fight beside me, but the main reason I trust him is because Croire does. Think about it this way, Croire was the one who summoned him here, so she can just as easily send him away if he tries anything. Not that he will."

"Hmph."

"How about you Ciel?" Ciel froze as she heard Zero say this. "Ciel I knew you were there way before Harpuia even came, just come out." Ciel, embarrassed, revealed herself and walked towards the two of them.

"Sorry for hiding."

"It doesn't matter, anyway what do you think about all of this?"

"I think Elpizo can be trusted. You remember after you defeated him right Zero? He said directly to you that he realized the foolishness of his actions and hunger for power."

"Ciel trusts him too. You can't base you're impression of him on a personal grudge."

Harpuia turned his back and headed for the door. "Fine. I'll trust him for now. But afterward, I have a score to settle." Harpuia walked to the steps and disappeared into the base. Ciel frowned as she thought about Harpuia's outlook on the situation.

"Don't worry about him." Ciel perked up and turned to face Zero, who was back in his "Zero" position. "Elpizo wounded his pride. It's only natural for a proud warrior like him to seek revenge for such an action."

Ciel had one question on her mind. She wanted to ask what was bothering him, but she would tense up whenever she was about to speak. She took a deep breath and spoke. "Zero…" Zero opened his eyes and focused them on Ciel. "…When you and the others go to the battle field, you'll be taking a truck to the location…" This wasn't what she had intended to say, she was so nervous about the question that another quickly filled in the spot before any words could escape her mouth. "…I want to come along with you, I want to be at the location of the start of the peaceful era…I don't intend to come on the battlefield, I'll stay with the soldiers at the truck, but please I still want to come with you. Do you mind?"

Ciel tilted her head down, waiting for him to say, "No it's too dangerous." Or maybe, "I'd feel better with you safe at the base."

"All right." Ciel's eyes shot open and she faced him.

"Zero?" Zero glanced back at her.

"Is something wrong?"

"No…it's just…I didn't expect you to accept that so easily."

"Ciel…you once told me that you had been protecting reploids your whole life because your heart told you that what was happening was wrong. You followed your heart and stayed true to its feelings as you strived for your goal. This is going to be the climax of everything you've worked towards, and you'll want to follow your heart to the end of your dream. I'm not about to stop you from doing that."

_The climax of my dream… not even I had considered it, I really wanted to come along to be with Zero. But the way he puts it, is completely true. _Ciel smiled. _Zero seems to know me better than I do sometimes. _

"Thank you Zero."

Meanwhile…

Harpuia trudged down the hallway. The whole Elpizo matter was driving him crazy. He stopped when he was in front of his room and opened the door to enter. As it was closing behind him a hand stopped it. Harpuia turned around and saw Leviathan standing in the doorway; she wasn't wearing her helmet so her long blue hair was waving freely.

"Harpy… you've been acting strange since Elpizo came. Are you alright?" she asked as she stepped through the door and it closed behind her with a hiss.

Harpuia sighed as he removed his helmet to reveal his spiky green hair. "I'd rather not talk about it Levi… It's a personal matter that I'd like to refrain from explaining." Leviathan put her hands on her hips and wore an annoyed expression on her face. She walked over to Harpuia, who had sat down on his bed. She sat down next to him and slowly slid her arms around him.

"Please Harpy? I really don't enjoy seeing you like this…"

Harpuia sighed again. "Fine." (Ah female influence… Harpuia and I are both victims of it. Flash)

"Levi… When Elpizo attacked Neo Arcadia, you and Fefnir attacked Zero instead of him. While you two were doing that, I faced off against Elpizo. The battle was over instantly. All it took was one blow from him and I was finished; I wouldn't even call it a blow… it was more like a wave of the hand. It hurt. Not physically, but psychologically. I couldn't stand losing to him, to one who had been so low in the Neo Arcadian ranks. I was enraged, engulfed in a flame of anger, but there was nothing I could do. I hated it, hated the position I was in, hated the fact that I lost so easily, but most of all I hated the shame… the shame that defeat brought me was immeasurable. The agonizing shame could not be juxtaposed to anything!"

As Leviathan listened she began to feel deep sorrow for him. She knew how much pride Harpuia had as a warrior; the pain he described was so immense that she herself could almost feel it.

"…When I saw him this morning…all that anger, that hatred, and that rage emerged from rest and took control of me. If not for Zero punching some sense into me I'm sure I wouldn't have stopped until one of us was dead."

Harpuia stopped there. Eyes closed and head tilted towards the ground.

"I…I…" Leviathan tried to begin, but couldn't.

"You don't need to say anything Leviathan." Leviathan's thoughts raced, trying to come up with a simple comforting sentence, but nothing could stand against Harpuia's tragic recollection.

"No Harpy…" She began. "There is something I want to tell you."

"Yes?" Harpuia shifted his position so that they faced each other. Leviathan put her arms around his neck and drew him closer.

"No matter what happens from now on, to you or to me, I will always be there to share your pain." Harpuia smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"And I will be there to share yours. From now till the end, together."

The two leaned in and shared a fervent kiss. As they broke apart they stared into each others eyes.

"I'll always be there for you. We will claim victory against Weil together." Harpuia started.

"And I'll always be with you." Leviathan finished.

The two shared the passionate moment locked away in the secrecy of Harpuia's room.

The last two days were short lived; passed over like the pages of a book being pushed by a gust of wind from a window. The day of judgment had finally arrived…

"Let's get moving!" A resistance soldier called to the other four soldiers coming along.

Zero, Elpizo, Harpuia, and Leviathan (Inconspicuously holding Harpuia's hand) approached the vehicle. Ciel jumped down from the trailer to greet them.

"Before we leave… I just want to thank all of you dearly for your help towards peace. I feel as if I've not been much help so the least I can do is thank you all…" Zero stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder, Ciel looked up and upon noticing that it was Zero, began to blush lightly.

"Ciel… you've been the greatest motivation to us all. Never forget that." Zero explained without changing his expression.

"You've worked harder than all of us put together!" Added Elpizo.

"Real peace would never be attained without you." Continued Harpuia.

"If anything we should be thanking you." Ended Leviathan.

Zero removed his hand from Ciel's shoulder and hopped into the trailer, turning back to look at the rest.

"Let's go… we have an appointment with Weil." The rest smiled and entered the trailer.

Operation: Peace.

Commencing…

---To be continued---

* * *

CLIFFFFFFFF HANGER!

the battle to determind peace is drawing near. Read on next time when the warriors are forced to fight one on one! But who will fight who? find out next time in Believe in me Ch. 8!

thats that for now, i shall try to update as frequently as possible, but until Summer comes, i will be pretty slow at doing so.

Flashgunner over and out!


	8. Four Battles, One Purpose

Well...not only was this chapter long, but i've been writing it in between studying for finals...ugh...

But i still managed to get this one out for you guys to read for now!

Please enjoy the eighth installment of Believe in me.

stroy

_thinking_

"talking"

(me talking)

i own none of the characters in this chapter.

enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 8: Four battles, one purpose

The truck rushed across a barren wasteland en route to the remains of Weil's laboratory. The four warriors, Ciel, and the five resistance soldiers resided within the trailer. Zero was leaning against the wall, trying to attain peace of mind between the rattling and the noisy truck engine. Elpizo was daydreaming, just thinking about anything that could keep him occupied. Leviathan was leaning on Harpuia's shoulder, savoring the moment. Harpuia himself was visualizing battle to prime his senses. Ciel sat on a bench near Zero. She would glance at him from time to time, wondering what was on his mind. Suddenly, the driver spoke up over the speaker.

"Approaching designated base camp destination." The team had chosen an area four hundred yards outside of Weil's lab.

Zero opened his eyes after hearing this, causing Ciel to quickly face forward. Leviathan removed her head from Harpuia's shoulder and checked her weapons along with every body else. She looked up and sighed as she saw Harpuia glaring at Elpizo. _I just hope they get along until this is over…_

The truck stopped and the ten jumped out.

"Set up a communication relay and establish a connection with the base." Zero ordered three of the soldiers as the other two put up a tent.

"The less time we spend here the better." Hapuia mentioned to Zero as he walked past him.

"Alright then." Zero turned to follow, but…

"Zero!" Zero turned around and saw Ciel walk up to him. "Please promise me you'll come back in one piece this time. I don't want to go through that again." Zero turned his back to her.

"Don't worry Ciel. I'll come back right away this time. That's a promise." Ciel smiled and watched the four warriors disappear into the distance.

In Weil's Laboratory……

Phantom's eyes opened slowly as he sensed a foreign presence.

"They're here Phantom." Craft stepped out of a shadow. "It's time to crush some rodents." He pounded his fist into his hand.

"Don't be too hasty Craft… there are four of them, Leviathan and Harpuia have brought some help. If my scanners are correct… then one of them is Zero…"

"What?"

"I know… this may be a problem, but Lord Weil is almost fully revitalized, when he is, we'll have no problem destroying them."

"Then that means we only have to buy enough time… Why don't we bring _him_ out… along with that odd reploid we found in the corner of Weil's lab?

"Fine. The more time we can buy the better, lets get down to business."

Outside the lab…

"Alright here we are…" Elpizo pointed to the opening in the ground. "Let's go!"

"Hold it." Elpizo turned and faced Zero. "Look." Zero pointed towards the entrance. Craft and Phantom had emerged. The group advanced towards them until they stood about twenty yards apart.

"Only two Phantom? You don't think you can take us on like that." Harpuia taunted.

"Hmph… do you take me for a fool Harpuia?" Something emerged from Weil's lab. It was a battle reploid, gold, tall, and thin, but it had six arms and each it wielded a scimitar.

"What is that thing?" Questioned Leviathan as she stared at the odd looking reploid.

"We found this 'Thing' in the back of Weil's lab… it's quite a swordsman as you can probably tell."

"I've fought that thing before…" Zero stated. "Harpuia, you and Leviathan should recognize it; it was a guardian in the Neo Arcadian tower back when I first attacked."

"I remember that thing… The Atomic Slicer was the pet name that Fefnir gave it."

"Funny that you should mention him." Phantom said slyly. Another figure rose from Weil's Lab. As it became visible, Leviathan gasped and Harpuia couldn't believe his eyes.

"Fefnir!"

"…"

"We decided that he may be of use, so I put him back together with a little help from Lord Weil's intellect. He doesn't seem to talk much though." Phantom fixed his eyes toward Zero, "Enough talk" He drew his katana and Zero drew his saber. "Lets get down to business shall we?" The rest drew their weapons and took battle stances. All but Zero and Phantom dashed forward. Fefnir attacked Leviathan, Craft attacked Harpuia, and the gold reploid attacked Elpizo. Zero and Phantom just stood, silent, caught in a stare down.

(Here the story breaks into three battles. Each takes place at the same time.)

Leviathan repelled plasma blasts from Fefnir's blaster as she charged forward. She flew behind him and swung, knocking Fefnir forward. Fefnir quickly turned around and fired more plasma blasts. Leviathan spun her staff in a circle to block them as spiked balls of ice formed around her staff. She hurled the ring of ice towards Fefnir, but he let out an annoyed grunt as he charged up his cannon and incinerated the ice with a giant blast.

"Ah!" Yelled Leviathan as she dodged out of the blasts way; the blast skimmed her right shoulder as it past. She clutched her shoulder as she stared at Fefnir with sad eyes. _I can't do it… I can't kill Fefnir… I don't want to… _

"Levi! Pull yourself together! You have to fight! There's nothing we can do about Fefnir!"

Levi looked towards the voice to see Harpuia get batted in the face by Craft's elbow. He recovered and kept fighting.

_Harpy is right… I can't let this bother me…I must fight and win!_

Leviathan gripped her staff and thrust it forward at three different angles, sending three blades out towards Fefnir. Fefnir blasted two of them, but in doing so Leviathan managed to get behind him and caught him in a headlock with her staff. He thrashed about trying to shake her off, but she held tight. The last blade headed straight at them, the blade made contact as she jumped off his back. There was an explosion followed by the sound of Leviathan hitting the ground. She watched as the dust cleared from the explosion. Suddenly plasma blasts flew from the cloud. With little to no time to dodge, Leviathan did her best to avoids the blasts, but two of them impacted on her upper body, sending her falling backwards. She slowly got up and gripped her staff as she watched Fefnir emerge from the dust cloud. She primed for attack, but Fefnir was quicker. He got a hold of her and launched her into the air. Trying to level herself out, Leviathan struggled to avoid the combo that she knew was coming. Fefnir jumped into the air after her, grabbing hold of her once more they plunged towards the earth. Leviathan carefully tossed her staff to her unbound hand, and plunged it into Fefnirs back. He yelled out in pain and let go of Leviathan. She got over her staff and accelerated to increase the speed toward the ground, with Fefnir on the end oh her staff. As they fell, a tear rolled from her eye.

"I'm sorry Fefnir."

Then they hit the ground.

With Elpizo…

The Slicer slowly moved towards Elpizo as he tried to determined how to get past those six swords without being wide open to attack. _It doesn't matter which way I come in! They will all end the same way… unless I'm extremely quick about it._

Elpizo sighed, and then sprung forward. The Slicer swung one sword, which Elpizo blocked, but another sword suddenly appeared from out of his blind spot. He quickly moved his sword over to block that one too. Instantly he was met with a barrage of swords that continued to charge forward despite his constant blocking. Elpizo pulled back and charged forward again, the same thing happened. _Damn! Does this thing have a weakness!_

The Slicer swung its foot around, tripping Elpizo, following up by swing all six swords down at once. Elpizo parried the blow and struggled to keep the six blades from slicing him up. The two were deadlocked, until Elpizo swung his arm around and tripped the Slicer. Elpizo pushed himself up and slashed the armor of the Slicer as the two got up. The reploid staggered backwards and fell on one knee.

_Ah ha! Its weakness! It has no defense! It concentrates so much o forward attack power and speed that it can shield itself with a barrage of slashes rather than having a built in defense!_ _If I can trap the arms then I win! _The Slicer began to spin like a top and skidded toward Elpizo. Elpizo dove out of the way as it spun by. It began to turn around, but Elpizo took this opportunity. A dark ball of energy appeared at the end of his rapier. He swung in the direction of the Slicer, causing a ring of dark energy to fly towards it. The ring caught the Slicer and rendered it immobile.

"This is it!" Elpizo dashed towards the struggling reploid as it buckled around within the dark ring to no avail. There was a flash of light. Elpizo stood on the other side of his target that cast a shadow next to him. The arms fell off of the shadow, and then the body split in half…

With Harpuia…

Craft flung himself at Harpuia, saber in his right hand, multi-purpose cannon under his left arm pit. Their sabers clashed, stopping them both dead in their tracks. Craft pushed off and fired three missiles. Harpuia cut all three down as he charged forward, clashing swords with Craft again.

"I'd put that down if you want a chance!"

"Don't get cocky." Craft pushed off again, this time rolling to the side and firing his blue laser cannon. Harpuia crossed his sabers and slashed in an X pattern, sending an X shaped saber beam towards the incoming laser. They collided, but the saber beam cut through the laser completely splitting the blast. Craft was forced to drop his weapon as the sword beam came in contact with it, slicing it up into four pieces.

"The sword is always mightier than the gun." Stated Harpuia.

"Then I guess I'll use my sword!"

The two took battle stances, and charged at each other once again. Slash after slash, dodge after dodge, and parry after parry, yet not one dead on hit. They swung at the same time deadlocking themselves once again.

"This might carry on for quite a while…" Joked Craft.

"I don't think so."

"So confident…is there something you have yet to unleash."

"I may just have another trick or two up my sleeve."

At that moment, pink lightning charged from Harpuia's blades, causing an explosion that threw Craft backward.

Out of the corner of his eye Harpuia spotted Leviathan. He could see the pain in her expression… the pain of fighting a friend to the death.

"Levi! Pull yourself together! You have to fight! There's nothing we can do about Fefnir!" He saw Levi look at him, but no sooner did she turn did he receive a hit the face via Craft's elbow.

"Pay attention to your own fight!"

"Argh son of a…!" Harpuia held a hand to his face. "Ok then!"

Clash after clash of sabers between the two created shockwaves that pierced the air. Harpuia ducked and tripped Craft, but craft stuck his saber into the ground to support himself, delivering a kick to Harpuia's stomach. Harpuia was blown backward, but instantly regained his balanced and sent three sonic booms slicing the air towards Craft. A smirk came upon Craft's face. As the sonic booms flew towards him, he reflected them back at Harpuia by slashing each one.

_What! _Harpuia dodged the first two to the side and leaned back as the last one passed over him. Craft dashed forward as he was dodging and stepped on Harpuia, pinning him to the ground.

"How does it feel to have your own moves turned against you?"

"You… scum…!"

"Goodbye Harpuia." Craft raised his sword high into the air, primed to swing. Harpuia's mind raced as his eyes swept back and forth desperate for an option. Then an idea came to him. Craft swung, aiming for Harpuia's neck, but right before contact, Harpuia activated his thrusters and shot out from under Craft's foot and into the air. Harpuia wasted no time as he whisked through the air, creating a sonic boom targeted for Craft.

"You imbecile! That move doesn't work on me!"

Harpuia quickly struck his sabers together causing pink lightning to surge from them. He aimed his swords at the same path the sonic boom was taking and fired a concentrated bolt at Craft. Craft pulled his arms back to hit the sonic boom back at Harpuia, but the bolt of lightning that Harpuia fired, cut through the sonic boom, catching Craft of guard.

"AAAAAHHH!" Wailed Craft as the lightning encompassed him and began to damage him as well as hold him in place. His eyes shot open just in time to see the sonic boom a foot away from him.

SSHHHLUCK

Craft lay on the ground, in two pieces. He had been cut in two diagonally across his body. Harpuia landed next to him, looking at the now helpless warrior that lay apart before him. Craft turned his head to face him.

"You shouldn't have underestimated me Craft… do you really think a Neo Arcadian general would use foolish tactics?"

Craft let out a light chuckle followed by a cough.

"Looks like I lose… heh… you're right… because I took you lightly I'm headed back down the River Styx once more. At least I don't have that bastard Weil controlling me anymore…"

"His presence is gone?"

"Yes… it took being sliced in half… but his mind disappeared from mine when it happened." Craft coughed again, the life slowly draining from his body.

Harpuia stood silently for a second, but made up his mind, "If you've any last words I'll listen." He put away his sabers and knelt down next to Craft. "Speak."

"I've one request… tell Neige… I'm sorry… for all the trouble… I… caused."

"Very well. Now rest."

Craft closed his eyes and his head fell still. Harpuia stood up and glanced once back at Craft before leaving the fallen warrior in peace.

(Back to real time.)

Leviathan climbed out of the crater she had created and brushed herself off. She gazed down into the crater and a wave of sorrow passed over her as she looked at the motionless Fefnir. _Why… why did it come to this?_ Harpuia landed beside her.

"Are you alright Levi?"

She smiled before answering. "How's your face?"

Harpuia was confused at first, but then remembered that he got hit in the face while encouraging her. "It's…fine."

She let out a soft giggle.

"Well how did YOUR fight go?" Harpuia was surprised as the cheerfulness instantly turned to remorse.

"I wish I hadn't had to kill him… It was so hard to keep myself from letting up because I didn't want to kill him…" Harpuia began to feel bad about bring the subject up.

"I'm sorry… let's not talk about it…"

Leviathan shook her head, "No… it was painful yes… but times like these come along… times when you have to face the truth. There was no way we could save Fefnir… I had to face this truth… painful as it was."

Harpuia was ready to comfort her with a little display of affection, but was interrupted.

"Hey you two!" Harpuia and Leviathn looked towards the voice. Elpizo waved to them.

"Just who I wanted to see…" Harpuia grumbled to himself.

"Zero and Phantom still haven't moved a muscle! Come over here!" The two of them followed Elpizo to the scene.

Zero and Phantom had indeed not moved an inch.

"What's going on? Why don't they just get on with it?" Complained Elpizo, who Harpuia had had just about enough of.

"Just shut up you fool. Have you ever heard of a stare down before? This might begin any instant, or it might last for another couple of hou…"

As Harpuia was finishing his word, a small pebble sitting on the edge of a rock about 3 feet away from Phantom and Zero, suddenly slipped off the side and landed with a little clack on the ground.

Instantly Phantom and Zero zoomed toward each other at such speed that their weapons were together instantly. They broke apart and charged again, clash after clash after clash rang out through the air as the two continually dashed forward and backward. Zero pulled back a few feet and pulled out his Z-gun, unloading a couple rounds towards Phantom. Phantom repelled all the bullets with his katana as he dashed towards Zero again, swinging his katana downward at him. Zero swiped his arm across and knocked the katana off course, while bringing up the Z-gun with his right hand and fired a charged shot into Phantom's body. He was blown backward and skidded to a stop on the ground. He slowly picked himself up and took his battle stance again.

"Heh… you are not one to be underestimated Zero…"

"Hmph… I thought you learned that a long time ago."

"I guess it's just been a long time since I had a real fight."

Off to the side.

"He did NOT! I did not just see Zero block that with his bare hand!" Exclaimed Leviathan.

Harpuia was amazed as well, "Zero has a thing for surprising us… but you're right… I would never have the reflexes or the quickness to pull that off. I just hope Phantom isn't messing around this time…"

Back to the fighters…

"Now that I've been reminded of the caliber of my opponent, I guess I'll try now."

"That's more like it… I guess I'll have to try now too."

"Hah! Bluffs won't work on me!"

Phantom appeared next to zero in less than a millisecond and slashed horizontally… into air.

"What!"

"Who's bluffing?" Phantom turned to see Zero leaning against a boulder in his "Zero pose".

"Why you!" Phantom again charged forward faster than any eye could follow and slashed at Zero's neck. Without looking up, Zero reached up and caught the blade between his index and middle finger. No matter how hard Phantom tried, the blade wouldn't budge. Zero merely twisted his fingers and the blade shattered into tiny pieces. Phantom quickly jumped backward.

"How! How did you become so powerful? You weren't like this back when we last fought!" Zero stayed in his position as he raised his head.

"This power was a gift from an old man. I'm not sure who he was, but I know he was the one who repaired me. All he left was a little note. 'I have fully repaired you and added a couple upgrades… good luck Zero. Sincerely TL.'" Zero got out of his pose and stood straight up. "Well then… Shall we?"

"RRgh!" Phantom took a battle pose and rushed at Zero again. Zero appeared behind him and tripped him, while smashing his elbow into Phantom's back, sending him bouncing to the floor.

_There's no way I'll win… I have to buy just a little more time!_ Phantom stood up straight and made a few hand signs at high speed, stopping them with his middle and index finger of both hands crossed. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Phantom split into four identical warriors. "Take this!" the four said in unison. They all disappeared. There was silence for a while with Zero standing still with his eyes closed. In an instant the four Phantoms flew at Zero from different directions, three from the sides and one from above. Zero ducked as the first one swung horizontally at him. He grabbed the arm holding the sword and flung him into the second Phantom who was coming in from the left. The third swung vertically, just to hit air as Zero sidestepped and side swiped the third Phantoms head with the back of his fist, sending him to the ground. The last Phantom tried to fall on top of Zero with his Katana. Zero disappeared and reappeared on top of the last one. He put his foot on its head, took its arms in his left hand and drove the final doppelganger's head into the ground. (By the way this all happened in about… a fraction of a second. Flash).

The dust cleared and the three extra Phantoms disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The real Phantom was supporting himself on his Katana and one knee. "I… am beaten."

"Then step aside." Zero took a couple steps forward.

"Heh…heh………hehehaahaaaaa……"

"What's so funny?"

"I may have lost." Phantom slowly looked up. "But… mission accomplished."

"What…? NO!"

"That's right I was only buying time."

A figure emerged from behind Phantom. Floating in midair…arms tucked behind back… and a curled white beard.

"Look!" shouted Leviathan.

"We're too late…" Elpizo added.

Harpuia stepped forward, "It's him…"

Zero drew his saber. "Weil……"

---To be continued---

* * *

well there you have it for now...

once finals are over i'll be piling out chapters for all of ya! peace out!

Flashgunner over and out!


	9. Faces of Evil

Ah the taste of summer vacation is so sweet on the tip of the tounge... wait what the hell did i just say?

ahem... anyway, here is the ninth installment of Believe in me. And for those of you who are confused as to who TL was, go read chapter one carefully. You'll figure it out.

i don't own any characters in this chapter.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 9: Faces of Evil

The evil doctor shifted his eyes back and forth at the scene that lay before him. He locked his eyes on Phantom, then Elpizo, to Leviathan, Harpuia, and stopped when his sight found the ancient warrior.

"Zero… Hmph… even death could not hinder our reunion."

"I don't care if reploids are considered mavericks if they kill a human… You are the reason that suffering exists in the world… and I'm sure all the humans I know would second my decision in killing you to bring peace."

"Heh…heh…heh… you talk as if you're all knowing. You fool… do you really think killing me will do this world any better? As long as humans exist, there will always be somebody who falls to the temptations of lust, greed, and power. Evil can't be destroyed. All of your efforts will be in vain no matter how hard you fight."

Zero closed his eyes and shook his head. "Hmph… you're the fool Weil."

"What?"

"I've known from the beginning that evil can't be distinguished. It's one of those truths a warrior like me has to accept. I will have to fight to the end of time, but I fight for a good cause, that drives me. From the beginning of my maverick hunter days up to now, I had vowed to fight against all evil, so that peace may be held together."

Weil was silent for a moment, but quickly disregarded what Zero had said. "Bah! Your words have empty shells! Evil will always exist and there is nothing you can do about it!" Weil began to glow purple and turned into a beam of purple light. The light shot into the injured ninja. Phantom was surprised at first, wondering what was going on, when a sharp pain suddenly engulfed his senses.

"AAAARGGHH GUURRRRRR AAAAAAAHHHH!" Phantom thrashed about as his body began to glow purple. He clutched his face with his hands and sprawled out on the ground.

Zero and the others watched, confused. Zero took a battle stance to ready himself for any surprise attack.

Phantom lay still, but suddenly stood up and looked towards the warriors. All were shocked by what they saw. It was Phantom's body, but the face… was Weil's. "Heheheh…hahaha! Such power! I'll destroy you all!" Weil sprung forward, brandishing two katanas, one in each hand. Zero quickly put away his saber and his Z Tonfa appeared on his wrists. (A tonfa is kind of like those clubs that police carry… you know the stick that has a handle on the side. Zero had weapons similar to these in MMZ 3. Flash.) Weil began his attack. He was indeed stronger and faster than Phantom had been before. Zero swiftly moved his hands back and forth to parry the blows Weil was dishing out. Weil brought both katanas over his head and swung vertically. Zero saw this moment as a chance for attack. He crossed his wrists above his head, blocking the swords, but right after contact, he thrust his arms upward knocking Weil off balance. He dashed forward swinging his wrist horizontally to hit Weil in the stomach, but in an instant Weil had disappeared. Zero quickly swung his right arm over his head and blocked a katana aimed for his neck. As quickly as the first, Zero brought his left arm up to block the other katana coming at his neck from the other direction.

"Don't blink or you'll lose your head." Weil taunted slyly. Then he blinked. And Zero was gone.

Zero dashed at Weil from behind. He had dropped his tonfa and was now charging with his Z staff. (I like to call it that. Flash). Weil quickly turned around, but couldn't block in time. Zero delivered a blow to Weil's stomach and sent him into the air. Without losing speed Zero jumped after him, readying for another blow. Zero, however, failed to spot Weil's foot as it struck his face from the right. Weil quickly added two more kicks to Zero's head and stomach, sending him to the ground through a couple boulders. The debris exploded as Zero sprung from his position towards Weil. Weil brought out two katanas and charged forward as well. The moment before Weil swung, Zero, with blinding speed, stuck his staff into the ground and made it extend, propelling him into the air. Weil, confident he had Zero, found himself only slicing through a staff planted in the ground. Zero flew over Weil and fell behind him. He took out his Z-gun and fired a cloud of energy bullets into Weil's back before he tumbled to the ground. Weil was blown forward and skidded to a stop. Within no time Weil got up and threw a barrage of ninja stars and throwing knives at Zero, who quickly blocked them with his shield. Then he took out his Z-saber and rushed towards Weil who was already dashing towards him with both katanas reared and ready to swing. They clashed, and were both blown backward by a massive shockwave that resonated from their blades.

Back at the base camp…

The ground shook as the shockwave passed over the tent.

"Yikes… these readings are off the charts; whatever they're fighting it's strong!" The soldiers were monitoring activity in the region, but the only things they were picking up were the energy outputs from the battles.

Ciel was sitting on a bench in the corner of the tent; she was, of course, worrying about Zero. Things were beginning to drag on longer than expected. _I get the feeling that something terrible is going to happen if not already. Zero… please come back to me… I don't want to lose you again…_

Back to the battle…

The two got up and faced each other, panting. The battle was carrying on, but neither was going to quit yet. Weil smirked at Zero.

"It would seem that this could last a long time if we continue this way."

"What? Getting tired old man?"

"You're one to call something old…anyway; I say we decide this through a battle of skill instead of a battle of arsenals." Weil dropped the katana in his left hand, followed by all of his throwing knives, ninja stars, and short swords. "We'll fight sword to sword… nothing else… just an old fashioned duel to the death."

"Don't fall for it Zero…"

"Weil's not lying…" Leviathan looked up at Harpuia. "I find it hard to believe, but Weil is actually giving a legitimate challenge. And if I know Zero…" Zero dropped his gun, his tonfa, and his shield. "… He'll accept. Zero would not be one to back down."

"Fine…" Zero gripped his saber. "Have it your way."

"Shall we?" Weil twirled his blade around over his head and snapped it behind his wrist of his right arm which he held out to the side. Zero tossed his saber into the air, cracked his knuckles and his neck, caught the saber in his left hand and twirled it to his right, and struck a battle pose. A silence enveloped the area, only the sound of the gentle breeze could be heard. A minute passed, two, three, four… They were like statues in a garden, still as stone and as inanimate as they come.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"What? You insult me Zero!"

"Surely you would've made your move by now."

"I was merely waiting for you to do the same."

"I thought you were the challenger."

"If that's the way you see it… then prepare your-self!" Weil dashed forward and the swords met, causing a shockwave through the air. Zero quickly spun around and slashed at Weil's neck. He blocked and slid the curved edge of his katana across Zero's blade to build up momentum and slashed towards Zero's body. Zero parried the blow and began another attack. Back and forth, back and forth, the clashing of swords resonated through the air. Neither of them gave up any ground; they were stationary, swinging their swords constantly at one another, and each slash was met by another slash. Soon however, Zero's speed proved superior and Weil slowly began to lose ground. Zero pressed harder with his attack, knocking Weil further back with each blow. He was getting desperate; Weil took a gamble and thrust forward with his katana, giving zero a cut on his cheek. As he got hit, Zero bluffed that the damage was more severe than it really was and preteneded stumbled back. Weil pulled back his arm to continue the attack, but Zero suddenly broke the bluff and caught Weil's katana as it came towards his neck. Before Weil could react, Zero cut Weil's arm clean off his body.

"AAAAA……… AAAHHHHHH!" Weil wailed in pain and fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder. Zero flipped the katana around so that he was holding it and his saber in an X pattern around Weil's neck.

"This is for all the pain you've caused." Zero threw his arms outward to the sides. Weil's head hit the ground and rolled a couple feet away from his body.

Zero dropped the katana and heaved a heavy sigh. He stared at the body of Weil that now lay headless and motionless on the ground. He knew that he should feel relieved, but… something didn't feel right.

"Zero you did it!" Leviathan ran up and hugged him.

"Peace will finally be able to take shape." Harpuia walked up and put his hand on Zero's shoulder. "Maybe things will finally quiet down."

"Uh… Zero?" questioned Elpizo. "Are you ok?" Zero had indeed not moved and was still staring at Weil's corpse.

"I don't get it… I have this feeling that it's not over…" Right when Zero said that Weil's corpse suddenly glowed purple and began to shine brightly. The four shielded their eyes. When they opened them, they say a purple cloud in front of them.

"What…the…Hell?" Harpuia was the only one to talk when without warning, three red laser beams flew from the cloud and struck Harpuia, Leviathan, and Elpizo, knocking them back at least twenty meters.

"Guys!" Zero turned and faced the cloud. A tall reploid stepped out of the cloud; it wore green armor, brown boots, and a long slightly mangled red cape. "Who are… you!"

"Oh please Zero… Surly you haven't forgotten ME. Search that memory of yours that you continuously keep from wandering to past pains. It would be a surprise to me if I wasn't in there somewhere.

"I've never seen you before I'm sure of… wait… oh no… no no it can't be… it's not possible………………………"

Zero took a couple steps backward. "Sigma?"

---To be continued in the new story arc---

* * *

Yes! the first part of this story is completed and the second part shall commence.

Thank you for all the great reviews so far you've all been great readers. But how will Zero deal with this problem? find out in the next part of this epic tale: Believe in me.

Flashgunner over and out!


	10. Unfortunate circumstances

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

New story arc.

Ch. 10: Unfortunate circumstances

"Whoa! What the hell is that!" One of the resistance soldiers pointed to the monitor that displayed power readings. There were three strong readings, one really strong reading and one that was too high to measure with the system.

"I don't know! But we've already confirmed that this one is Zero!" Another soldier pointed to the really strong reading. "That means that whatever this is… its strength is miles above Zero!" Ciel immediately stood up when she heard this.

_ZERO! _She ran for the door. The soldiers stopped her.

"Ms. Ciel! Where are you going! It's not safe outside!"

"I don't care! Zero's in danger!"

"Zero can take care of himself Ms. Ciel! Besides… he gave you his word that he'd come back." Ciel stopped struggling. She took a deep breath and sighed. The soldiers let go of her as she walked back to the bench. As she sat down she clasped her hands together.

_Please… please stay alive Zero!_

With Zero……

Zero was shuddering. The sight of an old foe that caused him and his friends so much pain in the past culminated in an unknown fear that gripped Zero's heart. _I don't understand… I know I'm surprised to see sigma, but why am I trembling? I'm not afraid of him… I never have been…_

"Ah all the years of lying dormant in this pitiful human's body were boring…" Sigma turned his eyes to Zero. "How about we have a little fun?"

"You don't scare me!" Zero drew his Saber. "I've beaten you long in the past, and I can beat you again!"

"Are you sure you're not scared of me? My… you're shaking! Zero you were never one to be intimidated…"

"Shut up!" Zero flew towards Sigma and poured all of his strength into his swing. There was a bright flash… Sigma had blocked Zero's saber with the palm of his hand. Zero didn't let this affect him, and he continued his frontal assault. Sigma blocked each with one hand.

"Enough of this…" Sigma thrust his hand forward, flat. His fingers stuck into zero's chest.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH AAAAAAAAAA!" Zero screamed out in pain. _I'm not afraid of him… but my body can sense his power and is unwilling to act unless I force it! How is he so powerful! _Sigma waited for him to stop screaming before he continued.

"All of these years must have caught up to you Zero… you are no where near as powerful as you were a century ago… you disappoint me. It will be no fun killing you as you are…… so I'll be nice and give you a month to dig up your power from the past if any of it is left! I'll wait for you at the crash site of the Ragnarok… but don't run away… if you take longer than a month, I'll pick up from where I left off all those years ago… and I might get bored and decide to kill a couple humans… starting with that blond haired girl four hundred and thirty two meters from here that you seem to have an important conection to. I'll be waiting. Hehehe! I'm already looking forward to it!" Sigma built up energy in his hand that held Zero… "Here's a little preview off the pain you'll receive that day."

An explosion ignited from Sigma's hand. In Zero's line of sight, sigma became smaller and smaller until he passed out.

"……ro? Zero? Can you here me?"

"X…?"

"Yes Zero it's me…"

"I take it you saw what happened."

"Yes I did… look I know exactly what you're planning to do in order to face sigma… but I know as well as you do that it won't be enough."

"Yes… I know it won't be enough, but it's my best chance… besides, we don't know how powerful I will become."

"That's true, but there's another hope. I will be able to fight along side you, but I won't come alone…"

"Is Axl a cyber elf too?"

"Yes he is… and with the help of Croire… we'll be able to fight along side you just like old times."

"Old times huh?"

"There's a problem though… Axl's current location is unknown to me… I don't know how long it will take me to find him… but I'll do my best."

"Won't one month be enough time?"

"There are trillions of cyber elf out there Zero… you may end up facing Sigma alone… but our hope is that Axl is out there, and the two of us with you will be enough to take down this age old menace!"

"Well then you better get searching then."

"I'll do that… besides, right now you need to wake up anyway."

"What…….?"

Zero slowly opened his eyes. Bright lights were shining in his face. He turned his head to the left and noticed that he was on a recovery table in Cerveau's lab. Upon turning his head to the right he spotted Ciel, asleep in a chair next to his table.

"Ciel?" Ciel wearily opened her eyes, but was immediately wide awake when she noticed Zero.

"Zero you're awake!" She wanted to hug him, but she knew it would probably be painful to him.

"How long have I been out?" Zero quickly remembered Sigma's threat.

"About a week, why?"

"A whole week wasted. Where's Cerveau I need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Wait Zero! What's going on!"

"…What happened on the day we fought Weil."

"Well… from the data we were receiving, and what we heard from the others, we concluded that you defeated Weil, a strange looking reploid appeared, you defeated it, but the explosion from you doing so sent you flying and you went through our tent. Then we brought you back here as quickly as we could so Cerveau could fix you up. So peace can finally be recognized……right?"

Zero sat silently. "I'm afraid not… I'm sorry to say this, but peace is even more distant than it was before."

"What? No…… Zero please tell me what happened!"

"It'd be better if we gathered everyone in here."

"I'll go get them…"

Ciel quickly left the room gathered Harpuia, Leviathan, Croire and Cerveau together around Zero's table.

"Where's Elpizo?" Zero asked before he began.

"His time expired so he's back to being a cyber elf." Croire responded.

"He would've been helpful… oh well there's no way around it now. Anyway…I heard what you believe happened and I'm sorry to tell you that the fight is not over, in fact the fight has become near impossible for us to win…" Zero revealed to all of them what had happened. They all listened attentively as their plans for the peaceful times slowly deteriorated as the story continued. "…… So now we only have three weeks to get ready for him… its fight or die now and we must all play our parts."

For a moment everyone was silent. Ciel was heart broken. They were so close to her life long goal, only for it to become more distant than ever. Zero turned to Cerveau,

"Cerveau… how quickly can you have me up and running again?"

"I was aiming for a slow recovery of around another week, but now I'll get you ready by tomorrow morning. By the looks of it you'll need all the time you can get your hands on."

Harpuia grabbed Leviathan's hand and began to pull her out of the room.

"Harpy? Where are we going?"

"You heard Zero… we need to get training right away."

Leviathan giggled, "Seeing how quickly you pulled me away I thought you were planning to do something else."

Harpuia raised an eyebrow, "Wha….! Argh… you're a handful, come on… to the training room."

Leviathan giggled again and followed him.

"Those two can be cheerful no matter what the circumstances…" commented Ciel. Then she turned to her faithful warrior. "Zero… what are you going to do?"

Zero was quiet for a moment. _It'd be best if she didn't know the whole truth. _"There is somebody I need to see. He'll be able to point me in the right direction."

"Who is he?"

"I can't tell you."

Ciel put her hand on her waist and gave Zero an annoyed look. "Oh please Zero… do you really think I'd doubt any of your actions?"

Zero didn't like the situation he had gotten himself into. He obviously didn't wan her to know about Sigma's main threat about killing her, but he didn't want to reveal to her who he needed to see, because it was mainly about his past and he obviously wouldn't want to start a topic on it.

"Look Zero… we've been through a lot… for once you could be a little less distant from everybody."

Zero thought for a moment. Sigma appeared due to his presence. _I guess this is partly my fault… I guess I should make it up to her._ "Fine… I won't tell you who he is…" Ciel looked hurt. "…but if you want to know… why not come with me and meet him yourself?"

Ciel almost fainted. Did Zero just openly invite her to come along on a journey? Zero had always been a lone wolf who would rather work alone. "Seriously? You'd let me come with you?"

"My own actions have stirred up an old foe, which now hinders the goal you've worked so hard for. It's only fair that I make up for it."

Ciel smiled happily, "Thank you Zero…"

"Alright Zero I'm going to get to work right away so you can get out of here by tomorrow morning." Cerveau walked up to Zero, cracking the metal joints in his knuckles.

"We'll leave as soon as I'm ready Ciel."

"Okay… I'll be ready." Ciel exited the room. When the door closed behind her she lost control of herself and blushed madly across her face. _I'm going to travel with Zero! _She was so happy that she nearly floated down the hallway, attracting confused looks from the soldiers.

The next day rolled around and Ciel was waiting in the hangar. Her heart was thumping. This was finally her chance to spend some time with Zero. Her giddiness almost made her forget about the seriousness of the situation. She was wearing a blue coat over her normal clothes and was holding a small duffle bag that contained radio, navigation equipment, and food.

"Are you ready to go?" Ciel nearly jumped twenty feet into the air.

"AH! Zero! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry." Zero was wearing his brown cloak that he always wore while traveling. He led Ciel over to the hover bikes and picked up a two-seater. After storing her bag in the compartment she got onto the back seat and strapped on the restraint on the passenger seat.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Zero faced forward and gave the signal to open the doors. The engine started and Zero took one last check of all the bike's systems. When all lights were green, and all systems energized, Zero tucked his pony tail into his cloak, so it wouldn't be in Ciel's face, and with all that they sped out of the hangar, into the distance.

---To be continued---


	11. The many Scars a Hero Holds

Wow...this took a loooong time to write and edit. now that i think about it this could have easily been two chapters... but i was having trouble finding a good place to end it so it carried on for a while.

any way who and where... this is the eleventh installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 11: The many Scars a Hero Holds

The hover bike rode with the wind along the barren savannah. Ciel looked back and forth across the endless flat lands that would be grassy and full of life if not for the wars of long past. She knew that the first thing to do once peace was achieved was to restore nature and its beauty. She looked forward at Zero who had his eyes fixed on the horizon in the distance.

"Where exactly are we going Zero?"

"To the mountains… that's where he's lived for centuries."

_Centuries? I guess this guy must be pretty old… unless of course the one Zero is going to is a reploid…_

The journey across the savannah lasted another ten minutes before the mountains came into view. They loomed closer and closer until Zero slowed the bike to a stop ten feet from the incline's beginning.

"From here we walk… we'll make it there in about two days."

"Okay then…" Ciel started to fumble around with the contraptions in her bag. "I'll get the GPS location mapping so we won't get lost and…"

"Don't bother… I know exactly where I'm going…" Ciel stopped, sighed, and placed the devices back into her bag.

"I'll bring them along just in case…"

"That's fine… it never hurts to be careful." Zero turned his back to her. "Follow me."

Ciel did as she was told and the trek into the mountains began. As they journeyed deeper into the mountain terrain, the paths became smaller, jagged, and more dangerous. Many a time Zero had to carry Ciel on his back and jump from rock to rock in order to get anywhere. Ciel began to see herself as a liability to Zero. She spoke to him over his shoulder as he was moving them to safer ground.

"I'm not dragging you down am I?"

"My body can support up to 32 tons… and you're not even close to a fraction of that so it feels like I'm not carrying anyone."

"That's not what I meant… is my presence slowing you down? I mean are you purposely not taking more dangerous routes for my sake?"

Zero kicked off a rock wall and bounced off two more rocks before answering. "No… this is the way I came over three hundred years ago when I came back here."

"Just let me know if…" Ciel was cut short by Zero slipping as he bounded over a gorge. He regained his balance, but at the cost of major whiplash on Ciel. She lost her grip and slipped off Zero's shoulders towards the gorge. "AAAAHHH! ZERO!" Zero instantly changed directions in mid air and dove towards her. He caught her in his left arm and lashed his Chain Rod out towards the mountain wall. It stuck into the side and the two swung towards the rock. Zero quickly turned himself around and took the hit to the back as they smashed into the mountain side.

"Agh… that felt nice… are you ok Ciel?"

"Y-y-yes…j-j-just f-fine." She was shuddering in fear, trying to keep herself from looking down into what seemed to be a bottomless pit.

"Hold on…" Zero kicked off the wall and bounced off another wall, landing on solid ground. When he let go of Ciel she fell to her knees, panting. Zero knelt down beside her. "Sorry about that… I guess Sigma was right… I have gotten rusty." Zero looked along the path he was taking, and then turned back to Ciel. "Our planned camp location for the night is up ahead… can you walk?"

"I'll try…" Ciel attempted to stand, but fell back to her knees. "I'm sorry Zero… my body is still shaking…"

Zero thought for a moment, then sighed. _I guess I have to…_ Zero reached down and picked her up in his arms.

"Zero!" Ciel blushed seeing the position she was in.

"I'll just carry you to the spot."

"…O-okay." _Oh my god… my heart's going to jump out of my chest… too much excitement for one day._

Zero carried her to a spot that had unusually flat ground compared to the rest of the path they had taken so far. "I used to always stop here on my way up." We'll set up camp here tonight…" He put Ciel down (much to her dismay) and set her bag beside her. She unzipped it and pulled out a sleeping bag and a battery powered lantern. The sun had already set and the mountain range was being engulfed in darkness, but once the lantern turned on, they could see each other clearly. Zero sat down and leaned his back up against a rock. Ciel made herself comfortable, undid the pony tail in her hair, and wrapped the sleeping bag around her to stay warm since they were up in the mountains it was a little chilly.

"So… Zero… can you tell me about Sigma and when you fought him?"

Zero didn't answer for a moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to revisit the memories, but they were there and she was curious. Plus his problem had become her's so she deserved to know. "Sigma… there's a lot behind his case. Back when I became a maverick hunter, Sigma was the most powerful reploid ever created as well as the commander of the Maverick hunters. Under his command, the hunters were powerful, and many mavericks fell to our strength. He was an ispiration to us all. One day however, Sigma…… somehow caught the maverick virus and, like all the others, went insane and began to kill innocents for his own jubilation. Being a leader… he was able to control other mavericks and became a massive threat to human existence. X, who was very new at the time, decided to prove himself by taking on the challenges that Sigma provided, but alone he stood no match. So I left the 17th unit to my first officer and went to help X. In the end I sacrificed myself to destroy a powerful Maverick named Vile in order to save X by overloading my power core…"

Ciel Remembered about what Harpuia had told her about Zero's history. Not only was she learning about Sigma, but she was learning about Zero's past as well, which was a subject of little discussion most of the time.

"…X defeated Sigma by himself, but Sigma rose again. He and his lackeys even put me back together, only to pit me against X. If I was conscious to my own actions I would have probably killed him, but luckily Sigma could only control me in a mindless state. X broke me from Sigma's hold and we took him down together. Sigma was never one to take a hint though. He returned again, only this time he hid behind a reploid scientist as a benefactor. X and I once again found ourselves engaged in a battle with Sigma, but with the help of the very scientist who had Sigma as a master, we were able to suppress Sigma's virus form and defeat him. It became clear that the Sigma virus was the reason that Sigma kept coming back. Me, X, and our comrades tried to devise ways to rid the world of the Sigma virus, but behind our backs, Sigma launched an attack on a space colony…" Zero had deliberately skipped an entire event, but he concluded that Ciel didn't need to know.

"The space colony!"

"So everybody knows about that even this far into the future?"

"Well… that was the event that nearly decimated the planet's nature. It's practically the most well known event in the distant past because of the catastrophe in brought. So that was Sigma's fault?"

Zero looked down. "In the main scheme of things yes… but it would've been prevented, if I didn't screw up…" Ciel's head popped up. "You see… we had devised two plans into destroying the falling colony. One was an old giant laser cannon that hadn't been used in years. The other was a space shuttle that could be flown on a collision course into the station. We chose the cannon to prevent unnecessary risks, but no matter how much our mechanic, Douglass, tried to fix it up, the cannon didn't pack enough power to cut through the colony. So we were forced to use the shuttle… it was a gamble, but it was our last resort. I volunteered for the mission..."

Ciel again remembered about Harpuia's findings on Zero's miraculous survivals. She quickly threw the thought aside and continued to listen attentively to Zero.

"… as designated I flew the space shuttle towards the station at top speed and hit the eject button four hundred meters before impact in order to ride the shockwave on the explosion. Unfortunately I had accidentally set the X-axis on the shuttles hydraulics off by one hundredth, causing the shuttle to impact twenty meters off the intended location. The station broke apart irregularly, and the large chunks made it through the atmosphere to cause mass disasters…"

Ciel stared at Zero as he held his eyes closed… she felt bad for bringing it up.

"This is the biggest scar Sigma has left on me…" Zero lied.

A thought popped into Ciel's head. _Maybe… this is the dreadful event that caused Zero to change drastically…_ She decided not to ask.

"That's enough for tonight… we'll finish tomorrow night…"

"Ok…" Ciel tucked herself into her sleeping bag and layed her head onto the small pillow she had brought along. "Good night Zero…"

"Good night."

Ciel was completely tired out from the traveling and fell asleep quickly. Zero made sure she was asleep before he got up and quietly dashed off towards a higher part of the mountains. When he was far enough away from Ciel in order to leave her undisturbed, he climbed up to a higher point and gazed into the night sky. After taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all thoughts. A small breeze past by Zero. Zero opened his eyes; something wasn't quite right. Another soft breeze past him; Zero stood completely still. In a flash Zero stuck his arm out and a reploid collided with it, causing it to let out a loud grunt.

"That probably would have worked on me if I was a reploid of this era. You know me better than to fall for your old fashioned tricks."

The reploid lifted himself off Zero's arm. There was no light, so Zero could only see a silhouette, but he knew who it was. "You were never one who could be tricked Zero."

"I surprised to see that you're still alive."

"I'm one of few who've dodged the scrap pile."

"Have you been following me the whole time?"

"Yeah and I'm guessing that you're heading towards us right?"

"Right… how about you go tell him that I'm coming."

"Heh… fine, but I'm telling you… he won't be enthusiastic about seeing you, or about the fact that you're bringing company."

"Tell him I don't give a damn about what he thinks of my actions. That might make him feel better."

"Ha! That's a good one. It's true too. That's the sad thing."

"Alright…now get lost… and stop following us. We'll come by as soon as we get there."

The reploid turned and disappeared instantly. After enjoying the silence for a little while longer, he headed back to the camp where Ciel lay sleeping.

The Next morning…

Ciel opened her eyes and yawned as she slowly picked herself up and out of the sleeping bag. She looked around and saw Zero asleep against a rock. Upon reaching up to scratch her head, she discovered that her hair was completely messed up. She immediately started fumbling through her bag for a brush, she didn't want Zero to wake up and see her with a terrible case of bed head. _Come on, come on… Where is that stupid brush! Ah here it is! Whew that was cl…_

"Nice hair." Ciel froze and slowly turned around to see Zero getting up from his position. She blushed, turned around, and let out a long sigh.

After fixing her hair and eating some of the food she brought, she packed up her camping gear and the two were off again.

"At this rate we'll reach our destination in a little over a day. We should arrive there around noon time tomorrow." Zero explained as he helped Ciel climb up a rock. Ciel made it on top of the rock and brushed herself off before following Zero down a small decline.

_I want to ask him… but it's just too personal. Is he unemotional because he failed to protect the earth, thus warranting total destruction of nature and most of civilization? It has to be… there's nothing else I can think of… _

Zero was wondering if it was right to bend the truth a little bit like he did the night before. _I didn't tell the whole truth… but there are some things that are best left out of conversations…. _

Their journey continued smoothly throughout the day without any spills or interruptions. As it became late and the sun went down, Zero had to carry Ciel on his back because she just couldn't keep going all day long. They reached what Zero deemed their second camp site and he set her down on the ground. Ciel again set up her camping equipment and sat down against a rock as did Zero.

"So last time you stopped at the colony incident…"

"Yes so let's pick up from there."

(Just to let y'all know I'm messing with the plot of the X series a little. I know that after X6 if you beat the game with Zero it leads to the first Mega Man Zero game and if you beat the game with X it leads to Mega Man X7. I'm just merging a couple plots together so it makes more sense cause trust me it doesn't in the games. I'm just letting everyone know. Ok I'm talking way too much back to the story. D… (Flash))

"After the crash my escape pod was found, but I dragged an unknown virus down with me. X and I investigated among the wasteland that the crash had created and eventually found Sigma in the center of the virus. He was trying to add to his power by absorbing this new virus as well…" Zero had left out the fact that the virus was a remnant of his virus from long in the past. "X and I stopped him, but at the cost of my life and almost at the cost of X's life as well. Confident that Sigma was actually completely destroyed this time, the world breathed a sigh of relief and began rebuilding. A scientist by the name of Gate was part of this process, but among the wreckage he got his hands on a piece of my DNA that was infected with the unknown virus. With it he was able to take control of reploids and use them towards his own goals. His actions only led to the recreation of Sigma. I woke up in the middle of a desert, I was fully repaired and my functions were running normally. I had no idea who had repaired me, but I didn't have time to think about it. I rejoined X and the Hunters and despite the low resources and tattered moral, we were able to defeat both Gate and Sigma."

Zero paused here for a moment. Recalling his past actions and battles were something he usually refrained from doing, so he needed to take his time.

"As you probably have guessed, Sigma was not gone for good. X and I fought him again, but this time with the help of a reploid prodigy who was a former gang member. His name was Axl. He had the strange ability to take the shape of any reploid he wanted, and he could copy their abilities. He was the prototype of a new kind of reploid called new age reploids who were able to change their appearance to suit any situation. With Axl's help we were able to stop Sigma once more, but when the new age reploid's began to be mass produced, there was a major flaw that was overlooked. New age reploids were created by forming data from reploids all over the world and those created in the past into their shape changing program. This means that little bits of Sigma's data was in the mix as well, allowing the reploids to access Sigma's abilities. This flaw became a disaster as many new age reploids were corrupted by Sigma's data. There was one difference this time that none of my team mates or I saw coming. A new age reploid by the name of Lumine was captured by Sigma, or so we thought. Once X, Axl, and I defeated Sigma, Lumine stepped forward and revealed to us the power that new age reploids could call upon. Lumine had been using Sigma by encoding the Sigma data in his memory to follow his commands. We were attacked by Lumine, and pulled through, barely. Axl had been knocked out and we began our return from Lumine's moon base as quickly as possible to get help for him. On our way down, X began to voice his thoughts. He was wondering just how much longer the two of us would last, seeing how new reploids are always being created. I told him that even if we are meant for the scrap pile, we'll keep fighting to stay away from it… Much to our surprise, Sigma's readings had disappeared off the face of the earth. X and Axl went off on their own trails, searching out new opportunities and ideas. But there was nothing for me. My whole life only knew one thing… Battle. My ambitions had long sunk into my dread filled past, so there was nothing for me. Nothing except a few problems that still had yet to be fixed with my irregular systems and the way I affected other reploids around me. Ever since Gate had found my infected DNA problems had randomly sprung up. So I made a decision. A scientist agreed to help me. I was to lay dormant for a century, while he fixed up my systems. Why the long period? The cleaning of my systems would cause a huge memory lapse… meaning it would be best if I started life anew. My memory would eventually fully return thought, he told me. So I slept… and woke up a century later by you in that dreary cavern."

Zero stopped there and closed his eyes, letting the memories flow on through his head. Ciel sat silently, staring at Zero for a second before saying any thing.

"Wow… It must've been tough, to only know life through battle."

"I am a battle reploid… it's what I'm made for."

"I just never understood why people would start disasters like this… who ever gave Sigma the virus… must have been an awful person!"

Zero winced heavily when she said this, but luckily Ciel didn't see him.

"Well… there are some people that just can't be understood…

Zero quickly stepped in before she could continue. "It's getting really late; we'll be meeting him tomorrow so you'd better get some sleep now."

"Ok…" Ciel undid her hair from her pony tail and dug her way into her sleeping bag. "Thanks for telling me all about your past Zero… good night.

"Good night."

Ciel, weary from all the traveling was asleep in not time. Zero looked up into the sky. The stars were out that night, each one glittering brightly in the night sky. Suddenly a bush moved behind Zero. Zero raised an eyebrow. The bush scurried past him. Zero heaved a heavy sigh. When the bush came back around, Zero reached his hand back into the bush and a small yelp came from it. Zero pulled a reploid out of the bush.

"Look I already dealt with your brother. Just leave me alone ok? I'll be there tomorrow after noon." Zero said in a quiet voice. The reploid loosened himself from Zero's grip and replies.

"Feh… fine. I thought I could trick you with my abilities, but I was short handed in terms of options."

"Trick me? You make an awful ninja."

"Silence! You dare speak to me that way?"

"I don't care how you think you rank over me. Just beat it… and no more funny ideas."

The reploid snorted and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Dammit… you like to mess with my head don't you old man." Zero leaned back against a rock and closed his eyes, slowly drifting into a deep sleep.

The next morning, as the sun rose over the horizon, Zero was stirred from his sleep. He got up and stretched out his arms as he looked around the camp site. Ciel was still asleep. Zero checked her little clock; it said 7:00. _We'd better get moving… _

"Ciel… Ciel… wake up we need to get going."

"Unnnn… wha…..?"

"Come on Ciel… get up."

"Oh! S-sorry!" She scrambled out of her sleeping bag and put her hair in a pony tail again. After quickly picking up all of her camping gear, Ciel and Zero set out for the final part of their journey.

They carried onward as they did the days before… Ciel would hold onto Zero's back if a dangerous passage came along… and if the ground was even and mostly flat, Ciel would walk on her own. As the afternoon approached Ciel began to notice a sudden sharp incline in the distance. Before she could comment, Zero spoke up.

"Our destination lies at the top of that incline." Ciel nodded and followed Zero to the base. "Here hold onto my back." Ciel obeyed, and soon after she did, Zero was leaping up the steep hill with quick, light-footed bounds. "Almost there." Ciel looked up and saw the horizon of the hill approaching. Zero reached the top and touched down on the ground. "Here we are."

Ciel looked towards the mountain side and saw a metal door. Zero walked towards it and knocked.

The door slowly opened, but there was no one to greet them at the door. Ciel was a little hesitant to enter. Zero turned to her, "Come on… he's in here." She followed him. Zero led her down a corridor that was dimly lit. He took two turns and they were in front of another door. Without saying a word, he opened the door.

"Well, well, well… look who decided to come back after all these years…"

"Do you think I wanted to come back?" Zero replied.

There was a large capsule sitting in the middle of the room. Beside it were two reploids. One was red, with a sleek design, and sported a sharp golden crescent on his forehead. The other was blue, with a shuriken symbol on his forehead, and he just had the look of a ninja all about him. In the capsule stood a hologram image of an old man with grey spiky hair. Ciel looked back and forth between all of them anxiously.

"Zero who are these people?" Zero took a moment to reply.

"These two…" Zero made a gesture towards the two reploids. "…are my older brothers Quick man and Shadow man." Zero paused again, then pointed towards the image of the old man. "And this… is Albert Wily… my father…"

---To be continued---

* * *

Caution! unexpected story twist ahead!

it's true... some things are gonna pop up that leave you with a lot of questions... but don't worry... i'll explain all of it eventually. (i wouldn't keep you guys hanging now would I?)

But yes...Zero will face new challenges in the near future.

until next time!

Flashgunner over and out!


	12. Shadows of Regret

Alright! Got this done! Unfortunatly it's a bit short due to some planning and stroy mappingerrors. Heck the first draft was MUCH shorter than this. But all that really happened is that i mis calculated how long this chapter would be due to the content that was meant for it. OKAY I'M RAMBLING ON!

anyway here is the 12th installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

for those of you that have been a little confused, this along with ch. 11 are meant to roughly explain what happens in the other megaman series'

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 12: Shadows of Regret

"Brothers! Father?" Ciel was completely confused, not just at the situation. She knew Zero was over a century old, so that meant these two reploids had to be as old as Zero if not older.

"Why did you bring her here son?" Wily had his gaze fixed on the confused girl.

"Her ideals towards peace have halted due to a personal enemy of mine. Plus I owe her a lot, so I decided to let her meet you."

"Whatever you say Zero… I bet she's really your girlfriend." Ciel turned around to find Quickman behind her. Zero stepped between them and drew his Saber.

"Enough. Enough." Wily cut in. "Zero I know you came looking for him, but he ran off right after reactivation. He's currently in a forested area near the base of the southern side of this mountain. (Ciel and Zero came up the north. Flash.)

Ciel was surprised. "Forest? But I thought that nature was nearly wiped out."

"We planted that forest." Quick man mentioned as he motioned his hand towards himself and Shadow man.

"It's our own personal masterpiece." Shadow man added. "It reminds us of the old days."

Zero was beginning to feel as though he was wasting time. "I'll be going." Ciel glanced back and forth at Zero and his family, then turned to follow him, but he motioned for her to stop. "I'm sorry Ciel… but this part I really have to do alone."

"What should I do then?"

"Stay here until I get back… If there are some big questions you want answered, then go ahead and let my old man answer them for you." Zero turned and left the complex without another word.

Ciel turned to the hologram of the spiky haired scientist.

"So… who exactly are you?"

Wily chuckled before answering. "You, young one, are looking at the very reason that the world is like it is today."

"WHAT!" Ciel took a step back.

"Hey settle down. Kids these days… Well you're probably having trouble believing what I just said, but it's true. It was I who long ago created reploids that killed in attempt to take over the world. It was because of my actions that a hero named Rockman was born. I tried countless times to conquer the world, but each time I was stopped by the will of that single warrior fighting for peace and justice. I became desperate and created a reploid virus. I'm sure you know this well… it was called the Maverick virus."

He was right. Ciel, being a scientist knew all about the virus that could drive a reploid to levels well beyond insanity. This was becoming a bit much for her to take in all at once.

"It was the perfect weapon. All I needed for it was a carrier that could spread it…"

A theory suddenly popped into Ciel's head. _Oh no… please don't say what I think you're about to…_

"So I created Zero." Wily pasued as he watched Ciel fall backward onto her hands.

"No… it can't be…" Ciel closed her eyes. "Zero would never…" She was cut short.

"Heh… I know what you're thinking… but you're wrong." Ciel looked up. "It's not like I gave Zero a choice… in fact, the virus takes away control from the reploid. Meaning Zero was completely under its influence. Zero is my greatest creation. It was obvious… the destruction he left in his wake was beyond anything I had ever managed to do in the past. Many rose to fight him, but nothing could stop him, not even Rockman. This event came to be known as the Great Cataclysm."

As if Ciel hadn't already been surprised enough by the fact that Zero was the carrier of the deadliest virus, she now knew that he was also the cause of the single most terrifying time period ever. She had read all about it in the history books, and she knew about the mass slaughter induced by a single maniacal reploid. _This was all Zero? I can't believe it…_

"Zero rampaged for years upon years to come, yet the virus within him found nobody worthy to transfer to. That is until Sigma and Zero crossed paths. Sigma was the most powerful reploid of his time. The world believed that he was the key to stopping Zero, and they were right. Sigma managed to stop Zero after a brutal battle, but the virus moved into Sigma. When Zero awoke, he found himself in a world of chaos and terror influenced by Sigma. He knew not where he was, when he was, where he had come from, or what was going on at the present. He had no previous knowledge and was utterly confused. He only knew that he could fight against this terror and his name… Zero. At this point Zero vowed to protect all those within his sight, whether it be human reploid, or the whole world at once."

Ciel couldn't think straight. She was having a hard time comprehending everything she had been told in the last 3 days. But she was relieved to hear that once Zero was free of the virus' hold that he immediately chose to fight for good. _That sounds like the Zero I know…_

"I'm sure you know what happens after that."

"Yes I do… but the only question I have is why? Why did you spark such a terrible timeline? What drove you to be so evil!"

Wily stood silently in his red capsule as the image flickered once or twice every thirty seconds or so. He closed his eyes, "I ask……myself the same question……from time to time."

Ciel didn't know how to respond. She was expecting some unreasonable explanation about the joy carnage brought, or the excitement that was missing from life, but instead she heard this.

"I always wondered what it was that threw me onto that course. Perhaps it was greed, or maybe jealousy towards my superiors… but it was so long ago that I hardly remember. Not a day goes by that I don't regret my actions. I mean… look at the world it has created, a world of war, fear, and unrest. I admit… I had once envisioned a world like this, only I was in control. Now seeing what kind of life that sort of power brings, I have deeply reconsidered my actions. For me today… everyday is a life of survival. I used to be faced with threats; people would attempt to find my knowledge and use it for their own gains. My children helped me survive this long, and now we live here, where nobody has bothered us for over fifty years. All of my creations are dead, destroyed while protecting me, save four… two of which have stood by their father like good children do." Wily looked back and forth at Shadow man and Quick man, who nodded as the old eyes past over them. "The other two have gone their separate ways and are living life their way."

Ciel was silent. As much as she never wanted to forgive him for the world that was created in his influence, she could see the longing for repentance, and his wish for a second chance. Being the good hearted person she was, she just couldn't find it in herself to feel angry at him. _I guess in time all those who have chosen his path realize their wrong doings……_

"I'm sorry that I brought it up…" Ciel apologized.

"No need to worry lass… now… Zero will be gone for a week or two, so you might as well make yourself at home. Shadow man? Please show our guest to a room."

"Alright." Shadow man appeared next to her in a cloud of smoke. "Just follow me."

"Ok." _Zero… where ever you are… please forgive me for doubting you for even the slightest moment…_

"Don't worry about food. The forest provides plenty of resources. Quick man and I will make runs through the forest to collect food."

"Thank you." Ciel accepted the hospitality. The rations she brought along weren't going to last more than a week.

Shadow man showed her to a room and left her in privacy. She began to unpack her things for the stay. Ciel suddenly perked up in realization and said to herself, "Wait a minute! Didn't Wily say that four survived?" Ciel counted on her fingers, "Quick man, Shadow man, Zero, and who………?"

With our hero……

Zero made his way down the southern side of the mountain swiftly and efficiently as he bounded from rock to rock. _In a forested area on the southern side of the mountain……… eh?_

Zero skidded to a stop about two hundred feet from the base. As he looked back and forth he counted twelve different forest areas. _Which forested area? Damn it old man, I bet you didn't tell me on purpose… might as well start looking._

Zero jumped down into the first forest and immediately scanned his surroundings for any sort of clue pertaining to the location of who he was looking for. After walking for a couple minutes, Zero exited the first forest and came to a lake that lay in the center of the woodland area. Zero was surprised that his brothers managed to do such a nice job in terms of recreating nature. _There has got to be some sort of evidence… _

He made his way around the lake, scanning the ground and examining anything around him. He continued like this until he came across bent grass that resembled a foot print. Another one was located about a foot in away. Zero soon discovered that this was a path walked recently, signifying that the person was near by. Zero followed the footprints into another forest. He decided that it would be best to slow his pace, creating less noise as he walked. His trail proved faithful as he saw a figure sitting on a log. Slowly and silently, Zero came closer and closer. The figure was wearing a brown cloak with a hood, and didn't seem to be to in tune with his surroundings. Zero closed within ten meters of the unsuspecting person. In an instant Zero drew his saber and slashed at the figure with blinding speed. But Zero made contact with nothing, as if the figure was never there. The person landed behind Zero.

His hood had fallen off during his movement. The figure was a black colored reploid with yellow marks around his hands and feet. There was a blue jewel in the center of his chest and purple lines under his red eyes. His most distinguishing feature, aside from his rather fearsome mean streak, were two yellow "fins" that stuck out of his helmet.

"It's not very friendly to attack a simple traveler."

Zero put away his saber. "Hmph. Forte is no mere traveler."

"Oh… it's you."

"It has been a long time……Brother."

---To be continued---

* * *

Maaaaaaaaaaaan it was a pain to conceal Forte's name until the end. Writing around it wasn't easy.

The plot thickens! what will happen now that Forte and Zero have met? What are Zero's intentions? and just what the Heck is going on back at the base right now! find out all of this in the next chapter of Believe in Me! (end dragon ball Z type preview)

Please Read and Review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	13. Sibling Forces Collide

OK! to make up for the shortness of the last chapter, i've extended this one by adding two additional scenes that take place away from the main action. (hey i do what i need to to please the readers. heh.)

alright here is the 13th installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 13: Sibling Forces Collide

We begin this chapter back at the resistance base…

Harpuia had been in the training room for three days straight. The reploids in the base took no notice, but Leviathan was beginning to worry. She peered into the training room to see Harpuia constantly hacking away at holographic images that were "attacking" him. _Something's bothering you Harpy, I can tell… I don't know how, but I just know. _

"Yah! Hya! Ha!" Harpuia kept pushing himself no matter how much fatigue came over him. _Zero… I resent this gap of power you've put between us. I'll train without rest until I can once again match you! _Harpuia spun around and slashed at another image, but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Upon seeing this Leviathan quickly ran in.

"That's enough Harpy! You're killing yourself!"

"Let go of me Levi… I need to keep going."

"No! I won't let you continue! You need rest! End program!" All of the images disappeared. "Come on…" She put Harpuia's arm around her shoulder and began to walk through the hall.

"…Levi you know we can't afford to waste time… Sigma will attack if we're not ready and…"

"Harpy…" Leviathan cut in. "Sure… we're pressed for time, but you aren't proving anything by running yourself dry…" Leviathan stopped in front of Harpuia's door, opened it, and laid Harpuia down on his bed. After she took his helmet off for him he turned his head to face her and spoke.

"Fine… do you want to know the real reason why I'm working myself this hard?"

Leviathan removed her helmet and placed it next to his. "Yes. Please tell me." She said as she hooked her long blue hair behind her ears.

"It's Zero. The last time I fought with Zero we were just about equal. He of course came on top, but the battles we had were always down to the wire. And recently I witnessed how easily Zero destroyed one who almost killed me easily. It was sickening to know that Zero had pulled so far ahead oh me. It's shameful."

Leviathan was silent for a moment. She looked at the ground. _No matter how much you change… you will always have your immense warriors pride… _A couple seconds past before she responded. "Look… Harpy… Zero is different. He has a kind of power that we will never attain and a kind of past that we will never live. There is no need for you to match him. Be as strong as you can be. Besides… no matter how you compare to Zero, I will never think any less of you."

Harpuia stared into her sapphire eyes for a moment, and then turned his head away from her. "Thank you…"

Leviathan came up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Now get some rest." With that, she picked up her helmet and left, leaving Harpuia in the darkness of his room. Harpuia fell asleep, the fatigue finally over taking him.

In a forest on the southern side of a mountain……

A red reploid and a black reploid sat facing each other.

"I didn't think you'd have the nerve to show your face in front of me after what you did long ago."

Zero spoke up, "I only learned recently that you'd been put back together."

"Why the hell have you come back any way, and why come to me when that old coot could give you what you want?"

"Doc can't give me what I've come for."

"Then what then?"

"Well… to be straight to the point… I want you to train me. I've been a bit off lately and I need help to get my skills back in…"

"Whoa whoa! Did I just hear that right? YOU want ME to train YOU?"

"Yes…"

Long pause.

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Gee I wonder! Maybe because you killed me once! Oh, and I think you're pathetic. So get out of my face!" Forte got up to leave, but Zero caught his arm.

"Please brother… this isn't only for my sake." The brothers stared into each others eyes for a moment as if locked in a battle of wills. Forte shook Zero's arm off.

"Fine. If you give me a really good reason to help you then I will. Let's hear your story."

"Alright…" At this point Zero proceeded to tell Forte about everything that had happened recently. He also told him about the resistance, about the humans, about the struggles, about sigma, and about Ciel. Zero finished his story and stared forward at his older brother, who seemed to be in deep thought. Another minute passed before anything was said.

"You've been through a lot lately. You've stopped conflicts, brought opposing sides together, and given the world hope for a better future. But… you fail to realize just how much more death and bloodshed has and will occur because of your actions."

"WHAT! If I hadn't stepped in thousands of reploids would have died at the hands of the former Neo Arcadia!"

"Do those thousands of reploids make up for the millions of people who were killed when the Ragnarok fired on earth? No it doesn't, and that conflict was started by you. Many also died under that mad scientist's influence when he took over for X, who was killed by you."

"But… I…" Zero was struggling to defend himself, but the criticisms his brother was pounding him with held the harsh truths of his actions that he himself had never recognized in the past.

"Do you see it now? You need to choose your actions more wisely. You never consider the side affects of you stepping in. You're not a hero, you are nothing but an amateur who thinks that any decision he makes will lead to the best results. You say you fight for peace, but you've only made the world's condition worse."

Zero was beaten. There was nothing he could say that could change Forte's mind. Besides, Zero realized that Forte was revealing to him a harsh reality that was hard to accept.

"You lack true reason to fight. And for this you are nothing but another soldier."

Zero's perked up when he heard this and gave a small smirk. _Heh. You backed me into a corner brother, only to show me the way out. _

"You're wrong Forte."

"Hm?"

"There is one person who I fight for. She is the world's best chance for peace; in fact without her we wouldn't have drawn so close to it. Without Ciel I would have no reason to fight. I've found her ideals, worth fighting for."

"This is the second time you've mentioned this girl… what does she look like?"

"Well she's short… is a little timid, and has long blond hair. Why?"

Forte didn't say a word. To Zero he looked as though he was reminiscing about something.

"Alright." Forte stood up from the rock he was sitting on. "Come on lets go."

"What?"

"Get up damn fool! We're already pressed for time as is. I'm going to help you find that latent power you lost sight of long ago."

Zero was dumbstruck. What made Forte change his mind? It was a question Zero was temped to ask, but he decided to hold it off. It was time to train. "Okay."

Zero got up and followed Forte to an open field between two of the forests. Forte threw off his cloak and cracked his knuckles. "Come at me."

Zero, with his battle expression instantly covering his face, jumped at Forte and drew his saber. He closed the distance between them in mere milliseconds and swung down at Forte's head. Forte caught the blade. "What's this?" Forte eyed Zero's saber. "We won't be using this." Forte snatched the saber out of Zero's grip.

"Hey!"

"You rely too much on your toys. You'll train the same way you killed me in the past. With your fists and arm cannon."

"Arm cannon?"

"You can't be serious…" Forte held out his right arm; in a flash of light it morphed into a plasma cannon. "I have one and you have one, we were built using the same template after all."

"I must've forgotten about it when I slept for a century. How do you call it?"

"It's a normal function of our bodies. It's no different than calling your sword."

"I'll give it a try." Zero closed his eyes and imagined calling his arm cannon the same way he calls the rest of his weapons, but to his dismay the Z gun appeared in his hand. "It's no good, if I think about a cannon type weapon my Z gun automatically reacts."

"Fine then…" Forte's plasma cannon flashed again, his hand in its place. "We'll just fight with fists then. Weapons are great, don't get me wrong, but if you training hard in hand to hand combat, no weapon is beyond mastery."

"So you're saying that if I train this way and perfect it, then my saber skills will be even better?"

"Precisely."

"Okay then!" Zero picked up his saber and recalled it, making it disappear. After swinging his arms back and forth once, he shifted into a battle stance. "Here I come!"

Forte readied his fists, "Show me what you can do."

Zero sprung towards Forte, fist reared and ready to swing. He took a front forward jab with his right hand at Forte's head. Forte pulled up his left and caught the punch. Zero spun around and swung backhanded with his left, again at Forte's head, Forte caught the swing with both hands and threw Zero over his shoulder towards a forest. Zero rounded himself and launched off tree, back towards his brother. Zero clenched both fists, and opened a hurricane of small jabs on Forte. Forte however, with only his right hand blocked every single punch. When he had had enough, Forte pushed back hard on one of Zero's punches. Zero fell back, but he turned around in midair and punched the ground with both arms, propelling himself back into the air. He turned towards Forte and swung his leg around in attempt to catch his brother off guard.

"Too slow." Zero swore he heard Forte say this. Forte blocked the kick with his left and clenched his right fist. As Zero's foot bounced off his wrist, Forte jumped slightly above Zero and delivered a powerful punch to Zero's stomach, sending him to the ground, creating a trench as he slid to a halt about thirty feet from Forte.

Zero picked himself up out of the trench. "Wily upgraded you didn't he?"

"How else would I be more than a match for you? I mean, you killed me remember? I wasn't powerful enough to face you back then, but now we see who has an upper hand. Enough chatting… that was pathetic, you need to harden your forward assault."

Zero took a stance and jumped at Forte again. The same result. After a massive, yet futile forward attack, Zero once again found himself in a trench dug by his own flight path.

"Don't fight with rage, but also don't fight without it. Balance yourself between calmness and anger. It creates the perfect feeling during a battle and makes it easier to move quickly."

"Alright… calm yet enraged… balance the emotions……" Zero closed his eyes and evened the scales of his emotions. His eyes shot open and he hurled towards Forte. Forte readied his defenses, as Zero drew near, Forte noticed that he wasn't pulling back to punch. He saw this as a small trick, and readied to teach his little brother a lesson, but as Zero moved in front of Forte, he suddenly disappeared. _How obvious. _Forte thought as he turned around to see Zero near him on the other side.

"Simple tricks don't work in a real battle!"

But to Forte's surprise, Zero disappeared again.

"What?"

Zero appeared at Forte's side and stuck out his elbow. Right before the blow landed in Forte's side, He faced Zero and blocked the blow with his hands. He took one step back. Latching his hand around Zero's arm, he spun him around and let go, sending Zero to another skid halt, but this time without the trench.

"It's the same every time…" Zero said to himself has he readied himself for another attack.

"That's not true."

"What?" Zero let up from his stance.

"You might not have seen it, but on only your third try you managed to force me back a step. You learn quickly."

To Zero it was great to know that progress showed itself so early into his training, but was also surprised at how much Forte's emotion technique helped sharpen his speed and reflexes.

"Quit daydreaming and come at me again!"

"Here I come!"

…

…

…

Let's leave these two to their training for a while…

What has Ciel been doing?

"Come on… come on! Darn!" Ciel let here portable telecommunicator drop onto the bed. "No signals are getting through… I can't even call home."

"That's because there's a field set up around this place, for protection reasons." A low voice commented.

"What! Who's there!"

"Settle down… I'm not an enemy."

"Are you the last wily robot?"

"Heh… far from it…"

"What do you want?" Ciel was a little scared even though she wasn't showing it. She had learned that showing weakness in a frightening situation can make things worse.

"I thought I'd just drop by and see Ciel, the famous scientist of the present, and the commander of the legendary Zero."

_I wouldn't really call myself Zero's commander… more of a navigator._ Ciel cocked and eyebrow. "Is that all you came for?"

"No I came to tell you what my father told me over four centuries ago before Zero killed him…" Ciel winced. "…He too was a scientist; in fact he was the famous scientist of his time. He said, 'Every scientist of any time must know this… I want you to go and make sure each of them hears this saying… in times of pain, suffering, and disaster, people need something to believe in'…"

"… 'something to look up to and help them feel safe even though the world weighs catastrophe upon them. We can give the people their ray of hope.' That's how it goes right?"

"So you know that saying?"

"Yes my mother, who was also a scientist, told me that saying when I was ten years old. It's what drove me to become a scientist just like her."

"I guess I wasted my time… I didn't realize that the saying was past on through so many generations. I can leave this generation be… and just keep watching over the world."

"Wait before you go… who are you?"

There was a pause, and Ciel was convinced that he already left, but… "I am the eyes of the hawk that watches over every new generation, and I see that this generation is coming along fine."

"But… what about all the problems we've been working to fix?"

"You don't need to worry… as long as Zero is by your side… there is nothing you can't accomplish." There was a faint breeze, and a silence. Ciel knew for sure that he was gone now.

"If Zero is by my side…… but how will I get Zero to be more open?"

…

…

…

Let's leave Ciel to her thoughts and head back to the brothers.

"YAAAAAHHHH!" Zero was surging towards Forte, fists locked back and ready to unleash. Forte held his ground as Zero flew towards him and opened a frontal assault. No matter how furiously Zero punched and kicked, Forte would stay still and block each blow. Occasionally, if Zero was lucky, Forte would take a step back. Alas… each attack turned out the same. Eventually Forte would deliver a strike of his own and send Zero flying to the ground.

As a matter of fact, this instance had just occurred. Zero slowly picked himself up off the ground.

"Good. You're getting better physically, but you still lack the mental strength.

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"No idiot! I'm talking about mental drive that keeps you fighting, and at times makes you stronger. Come on lets go again! You need to keep fighting until you achieve that drive."

…

They did continue.

…

Two weeks past. Zero was beginning to challenge Forte a bit, but Forte was still disappointed in the results. Zero was thrown backwards………again.

"We've been fighting for weeks! Haven't you clued in yet! Or do you just not get it?"

"I don't know! I already told you that I fight for Ciel's ideals."

Forte snorted. "Ideals… they are but thoughts. There is no way to be attached to them. You must fight for something or someone that you are attached to and mean the world to you. Go ahead… catch your breath.

Zero was beginning to lose patience. Only one week remained until he had to fight Sigma. He didn't know if there was anything he was attached to like Forte had described. The only person that he had ever done that for was long dead. And any thoughts about it were painful.

"Brother I still don't understand…"

"Sigh… You are pathetic…… Fine then." Forte sat down on a rock near Zero. "Listen… back many years ago when I was a fairly new reploid…"

_Great a story… good use of time… _Zero was about to retort, when he heard.

"It was a 2 years before you were released. What I'm about to tell you is a recollection of events, between then and the moment you ripped my body clean off my waist… my brother… let me tell you a story…

---To be Continued---

* * *

I believe i'm about to be bombarded with a single question. Who was it that was talking to Ciel? Well... if i told you it would ruin surprises wouldn't it. And for those of you who are trying to guess. That quote i used was entirely made up so it won't give you any leads. But you will learn who it is in the near future! For now... keep reading! 

please read and review! (thank you!)

Flashgunner over and out!


	14. Everybody Fights for Somthing

Oy... i know i know... it took me a long time to crank this out...

BUT! i have valid reasons for my delay.

1. summer reading books for school. (they always have to pick the most boring books you can find.)

2. Training for football season

3. This is the longest chapter so far. among all these delays... my system became extremely slow. I always sweep through the story four times, revising and editing, before i allow myself to submit a chapter.

I hope you find my reasons worth something (please... i havn't forgotten all my faithful reviewers /)

THIS IS ALL BESIDE THE FOCUS THOUGH!

i now give you the 14th installment of Believe in Me. (it's about time.)

Story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me)

enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 14: Everybody Fights for Something

A large portion of the chapter you are about to read is Forte's story of past events. However, it will be told in 3rd person.

Forte, Wily's greatest creation was also his greatest mistake, according to the evil doctor anyway. Forte had been based on Rockman's designs and was created with the sole purpose of defeating Rockman. But Forte was a rogue, and despised anything his father would do; most of the time it ended in Forte fighting against Wily. This time was no exception.

Large explosions were sounding all over the city. Screams of terror filled the streets as Wily's robots flowed through the city like a sudden heavy current within a calm river. Rockman was already in the city fighting back the robots while protecting the people, but he had also lost contact with his sister, Roll, who had dissapeared in the panic.

On the other end of the assault, Forte had appeared and was smashing his way through the legions of robots.

_Dammit old man! How many times will I have to destroy your toys so you that you'll recognize that Rockman's head is my trophy to claim? _Forte Spun around and kicked his way through a line of robotic bats, then faced forward and unloaded a charged shot on a Sniper Joe. Using his jet booster, he flew past more of the robots. _If I keep going towards the middle of the assault I'll eventually find the leader… I wonder which pinhead wily selected this time… _

A scream suddenly sounded in the distance. _What was that! _Forte changed directions and headed towards the wail. _I thought the people would be smart enough to have left by now! _Forte cut his jets to hover and looked around the new destination he had come upon. There were four robots surrounding a young blonde girl, wearing a red dress. The robots consisted of three Sniper Joes and a special master type robot with bomb launchers on his arms, better known to Forte as Crashman, one of his many brothers.

"Crashman."

Crashman faced him. "Forte! Why do you always attack us! If you want to kill Rockman then you should be helping us!"

"I don't want to help you… and I don't need your help either. I can defeat Rockman on my own!"

"Leave the girl…" Crashman waved his arms at the Sniper Joes. "Show this bastard who his loyalty should belong to!"

The three Joes jumped forward with their plasma cannons primed and ready to fire. Forte jumped forward, punching through the first Joe; he activated his arm cannon and fired a barrage of small plasma blasts on the second. The third managed to fire its cannon before Forte could attack. Forte knocked the blast away with his hand as he charged towards his helpless foe.

Crashman sighed as Forte ripped the Sniper Joe's arms off before beating it to a pulp. The blonde girl was watching in awe at Forte's display of power.

"Alright Crashman… will you get your ass out of here now? Or do I have to send you back to dad in pieces?"

"You cocky bastard… I'll make sure you regret the day you shunned your true family!"

Crashman fired two bombs, from his arms, towards Forte. Forte jumped into the air to avoid the blast and fired two shots at Crashman, who rolled out of the way and fired another crash bomb at Forte. Forte caught the bomb, spun around to keep the momentum of the projectile, and flung it back to the ground. The explosion knocked Crashman off his feet. Forte landed and charged at his grounded opponent. Crashman got to his feet and jumped into the air, barely avoiding Forte's fist. Airborne… Crashman fired two bombs to the ground at Forte. Forte used this as an opportunity to finish his enemy off. He jumped just as the bombs exploded, using the shockwave to propel himself into the air. Crashman didn't have time to react as Forte drove his elbow into Crashman's chest, causing him to rocket upward with Forte. Forte moved Crashman below him and fired a charged blast, sending Crashman plummeting to the ground. Forte activated his boosters and flew downward… catching up with Crahsman mid-fall. He grabbed Crashman's arms and placed his feet on Crashmans chest, increasing the force Crashman would take when he hit the ground. The blonde girl quickly took cover as Forte and Crashman struck the ground at an extreme velocity.

When the dust cleared, Forte grabbed the battered Crashman by the neck and held him into the air. "Had enough yet? Or do I have to pile drive you again?"

"Damn… you… Forte…" one of Crashman's launchers turned into a hand; he pressed a couple buttons on his other arm and disappeared in a beam of light.

"That's that…" Forte turned to leave, but…

"Excuse me…Forte?"

Forte stopped and turned around to see the innocent looking blonde girl behind him. "… You know who I am yet you're not afraid of me?"

"I used to be afraid of you… but… you just saved my life so I'm grateful…"

"Don't get the wrong idea… I was trying to stop my father's robots. I barely even took notice of you."

The girl sighed. "Look. I don't care what you came for. You still saved my life, and for that I thank you."

Forte stood silently for a second; he looked the girl up and down. "What's your name?"

"My name? Roll…"

Forte turned around. "You're welcome Roll." He took off.

"What? Oh… I guess that was his response."

"Roll!" Roll quickly tuned to see who called her name. She spotted her brother.

"Rock!" Rockman landed beside her.

"Thank goodness you're okay… I was beginning to worry…"

"No I'm fine… thanks to Forte…"

Rockman's expression quickly hardened at the sound of the name. "What! Did Forte try to hurt you!"

"No no no! Didn't you just hear me? I said I'm okay BECAUSE of Forte."

"Huh?"

"Come on… I'll tell you on the way back…"

And so Roll and Forte had met each other for the first time… many things happened. Forte found himself running into Roll more often. Sometimes he was saving her from certain death. Sometimes she found him. Even though there was a bit of awkwardness once Forte learned that she was Rockman's sister, they still managed to get along. Forte found that Roll was somebody he could talk to; they never went beyond that however. In fact Forte still refused to admit that he saved her because he cared. Roll dismissed this knowing that he was still a serious warrior with a large amount of pride to look after. As the river of time flowed on however… things would change… because of this one event, Forte's outlook on life would be forever changed.

Roll and Forte were atop the roof of a building.

"So Forte… why do you want to fight my brother?" Roll sat on a ledge beside the building vent.

Forte stood against a wall with his arms and legs crossed and his head down slightly. (Sound familiar?) He didn't answer for a moment. "It was what I was programmed to do. My only mission in life was to destroy him and it's my only reason to fight."

Roll frowned slightly. "…Have you ever considered fighting for something else?"

"Not really… I was given free will to choose my actions, and I've chosen to best my father…"

"But I'm sure there are other things out there you can fight for… I mean… You could fight for justice like Rockman does… or you could fight for something dear to you…"

"I… don't have anything like that…"

"What!"

"Besides my dog, Gospel, who can fight for himself, I've never had anything else near me."

"Well…" An explosion rocked the building. Forte instantly stood up and looked around.

"What was that!" Roll questioned.

"Hide quickly!" Forte motioned to her.

"I'm afraid she won't be going anywhere dear brother…"

"That voice!" Forte looked up into the sky to see a large purple robot in the air, suspended by jet boosters. His body littered with missile launchers and bomb launchers. "Napalm man!" Forte clenched his fist.

"Wily is a little peeved that you've stepped in and messed up all his plans… so I decided to come take care of you for him…"

Forte activated his thrusters and floated upward till he was level with Napalm man. "You alone? Did you miss the message I sent home in the form of Crashman's mangled body?"

"Oh please… did you think I would come without a plan?" A black missile appeared in one of his launchers. "This bomb as the punch of a small nuclear bomb… it doesn't emit radiation, but it's just a powerful."

"That's your master plan! You'll never hit me with that!"

"I know."

"Huh? Then why?"

"Outsmarting your foes is another way to achieve victory…" Napalm man pointed his Missile launcher down at the building where Roll stood watching them. She heard everything and began to panic. "I've been watching you… this girl obviously means something to you…" Forte didn't know what to do. He was ready to say that Roll meant nothing to him, but something prevented him from doing it. "The choice is yours brother… Save yourself… or save the girl…" Napalm man fired the missile and teleported away immediately.

Forte didn't think… he only reacted. In a burst of speed he rocketed past the missile and towards the roof where Roll, terrified, looked back and forth wondering what was going to happen. Forte landed and rushed up to Roll, he quickly threw his arms around her and put his back to the missile. The missile made contact with the roof of the building… there was a massive explosion.

…

…

…

…

Roll opened her eyes and noticed Forte's arms were around her. "Forte?"

Forte slowly moved his head so he could see her. "Are… you…okay…?"

"Yes I a…FORTE!" Forte fell flat on the ground. Roll gasped at the horrible sight. All of Forte's armor on his back had been blown off and half the circuits in his back had been fried and or damage beyond belief. "Oh no…oh no!"

"Roll!" Rockman called to her from an aircraft that was descending overhead. Dr. Light and Rush were with him too. "Roll you're okay! What was that explosion!" Rockman looked around to see the buildings all in pieces… it was a good thing they were all abandoned or it could have been a massive tragedy. Roll quickly caught his attention.

"Don't worry about me! Forte needs help now!" Rockman's eyes widened as he saw the condition Forte was in. He was silent for a moment. "Rock! Please! We need to help him!" a tear rolled down her eye. "Please!"

"Rock… lets help him…"

"Doctor!" Dr. Light put his hand on Rockman's sholder.

"Forte may be an enemy… but he has helped us defeat Wily in the past… we should return the favor."

"Alright…… Rush! Come help me out!" The mechanical K-9 jumped out of the craft and supported Forte on his back as they loaded him into the plane and took off.

…

…

_Am… I dead……? ………I can't see anything…… and I can't hear anything…… everything is fading away…… _

"Forte……"

_What?_

"Please wake up Forte……"

_That…voice… it's………_

…

…

…

Forte slowly opened his eyes. He realized that he was in a bed, and the fact that he could barely move. He noticed that his helmet had been removed and his spiky purple hair was a bit messed up and all over the place. He could hear the faint sound of sobbing close by. Even though it was painful to do so… Forte slowly moved his head to see where the sound was coming from. What he saw gave him an unexplained warm feeling. Roll was crying on his arm…

"Roll…?" Roll's head snapped up, and tears of joy quickly replaced the tears of sorrow.

"Forte!" She threw her arms around his neck. "You're alive!"

Forte moved his arm slowly around her back. "It'll take more than a simple explosion to take me out."

"Forte……" she paused for a moment. "You said you never had anything worth protecting, yet you shielded me from the explosion at your own expense…"

"Roll… I did have something worth protecting… my body realized it before I did. The moment I saw you in danger, the only thing on my mind was protecting you in some way. So you see… Roll… the something that I've found worth protecting… is you."

This of course made Roll EXTREMELY happy. She leaned forward to kiss him, but she was interrupted by the noise of the door opening. She immediately hopped away from the bed.

It was Rockman. "Forte…"

Forte's expression changed.

"… I don't know if you've done this to sneak behind my back… or for some other reason…" Roll glared at Rockman, but he didn't notice. "… but… you saved my sister… thank you…" He turned to leave but Forte spoke up.

"Rockman… I used to think that my only purpose was to defeat you… that used to be the only thing I lived by… but…" Forte had to force this last bit out. He was willing to sacrifice his old ways to make Roll happy. "… I think I'm going to throw that away now…"

"What…?" Rockman turned around and faced Forte.

"I have too much to fight for now… to get caught up in a personal grudge that was programmed into me. If you don't mind… from now on I'd like to fight against Wily as an ally."

Rockman was perplexed. Was this a trick? It had to be. Here was Forte, his arch-rival, suggesting that they forget their past battles and work together?

Roll however had her hands covering a huge smile… and a tear of happiness ran down the side of her face… Forte had changed, and now he was truly a friend.

"Well what do you say?" Forte stuck out his hand. Rockman hesitated for a second. Then smiled.

"Sure." Rock stuck out his hand, and the two shook.

Things began to look up. Together Rockman and Forte destroyed Wily's efforts easily. Their efforts caused rebuilding costs to go down, for they usually stopped Wily in no time at all. Roll and Forte had become very close. They were seldom apart and they always got along. But all good things must come to an end. The day approached that Wily would unleashed something truly terrible upon the world.

…

…

…

An explosion sounded. One of many that had erupted recently. Rockman flew through the air like a rag doll and crashed into a building, causing it to collapse. Forte jumped around the falling building and charged forward. A couple blocked punched were hear, followed by the crack of someone getting hit hard. Now Forte flew backward and bounced on the ground till he skidded to a stop. Forte slowly picked himself up, and stared toward where he was a second ago.

"What is this…… Father what is this monster you've created!" A plasma cannon blast caught Forte's attention. He looked over and saw Blues, Rockman's brother, pulling Rockman out of the rubble using the hole he had just blasted open.

"Blues?"

The Red mysterious warrior turned his head towards Forte. "Forte! Retreat back to Dr. Light's lab for now! We need a plan! We can't keep jumping at this thing; it'll just get us killed."

"Very well…" Forte beamed away. Blues put Megaman's arm over his shoulder and carried him out of the rubble. After quickly glancing towards the malicious, mindless beast walking towards him, he beamed away. The terror watched blues escape; without making a sound he turned around and walked in a different direction.

Back at Light lab.

"God dammit!" Forte slammed his fist on a table. "This can't be real… how can a monster like him exist!"

Dr. Light reactivated Rockman and stood up. "I don't know where Albert obtained the knowledge to create such a ferocious menace. But we need to fight power with teamwork."

"We need to find some way to beat him… if we fail… the world as we know it will live in fear and terror for many years." Blues interjected.

Rockman sat up from the table. "Uhh…man…What just happened?" Blues briefly explained the situation to him. "There must be something we can do… even if we fail there needs to be something that can be done!"

"There is…" The three turned to Dr. Light. "I have fully prepared for these circumstances…" A capsule popped up from a hidden storage compartment in the ground. In it sat an unfinished robot that slightly resembled Rockman. "Everybody… this is X… should anything ever happen to me… my last recording will be sent to this capsule and it will begin preparations for X to be released… if my calculations prove right, he is just as, if not stronger than this fearsome enemy of ours…"

"Why not let him out now then?" Forte questioned.

"Well… as you can see, Wily was one step ahead of me. X is not yet finished and it will be some time before he is."

"So you have the computer lock him up and finish him for you just in case anything should happen to you?"

"Precisely Blues… but enough about this… for now we have to take action against this beast. Even with you three together it won't be enough… so I'm sending Gospel, Rush, Tango, and Beat with you… along with some added firepower that was requested… much to my dismay…"

A door opened, and into the room stepped Roll… But she had been remodeled. She had armor now just like Rockman's, only it was red and yellow, topped with a helmet that resembled Blues's only without the shades and a hole for her pony tail.

"No way…" Rockman commented first.

Forte stepped Forward. "Roll! You can't do this! It's way to dangerous!"

Roll replied calmly. "Forte… I love you… and you love me… we both know this… so I will not sit back as you go off alone to fight against the most lethal threat ever in the history of the world." She stepped towards him. "We'll fight side by side… to the very end… this is my decision, and I'm going to follow it."

Forte took a moment to reply. "…You're an amazing girl you know that?"

Roll smiled. "So you agree?"

"Yes. Your intentions are worth the risk…"

Suddenly an alarm sounded.

WARNING WARNING… INTRUDER ALERT… INTRUDER ALERT…

"Switch on the screen!" Ordered Blues. Rockman quickly ran over to the monitor and switched it to the base cameras. Everyone froze. The enemy had found its way to Light labs. The monitor showed the red robot with a blond ponytail walking into the courtyard of Light labs. His hands were covered in blood, he had a Z symbol on his left shoulder, and he had the coldest, most terrifying stare any of them had ever seen. Security robots went down left and right as they tried to stop him from entering.

None of them knew who this awful creation was. But he was none other than Zero, the original carrier of the maverick virus.

"Let's go! We have no time to waste! Dr. Light, begin preparations for X just in case!" Rockman shouted as he followed the rest out the door.

The four appeared in the courtyard and faced Zero. Zero stopped moving and stared at them with his menacing stare. At that moment, Gospel, Rush, Tango, and beat all teleported in.

"This is going to take everybody! Together we can take him down!" Shouted Forte.

The four summoned their arm cannons and began charging up. Simultaneously, they all fired fully charged blasts at Zero. Zero didn't move as the blasts impacted on his armor.

"We got him!" Roll exclaimed. But Forte knew it had just begun.

"If it was that easy Roll, we would have taken care of him a long time ago…"

Zero emerged from the cloud of smoke; they didn't even scratch his paint.

"Scatter and attack!" Yelled Rockman, causing all the fighters to disperse and attack randomly. Rockman charged first, circling around Zero, while unloading small shots on him. He was turning to come forward when Zero suddenly jumped towards him and punched Rockman in the face, sending him flying. Blues suddenly appeared behind Zero and rammed him with his shield, sending him forward towards Forte who kicked him into the air. Zero tried to round himself, but was suddenly attacked by Tango's razor blade. Annoyed, Zero caught the robotic feline by its tail and threw it into Forte on the ground. Rockman had gotten up and along with Roll fired a cloud of plasma bullets at Zero. Zero straightened his body so he would fall faster, and moved out of the way right before the blasts reached him. As he landed Rush and Gospel both jumped onto Zero, holding him down as Beat flew in and knocked him over. As the two dogs jumped off, Gospel turned and fired a plasma blast from his mouth that exploded on Zero. Zero charged through the explosion towards the dogs and reared a punch, but at the last second Beat flapped down and put up a barrier that Zero ran smack into. Blues immediately tried to hold Zero down as Forte and Rockman jumped into the air and fired fully charged blasts down at Zero. Beat quickly grabbed hold of Blues and flew him out of danger as the blasts shook the ground with their explosions. Zero rocketed out of the dust cloud, into the air towards Forte and cold cocked him between the eyes sending him to the ground. Rockman tried to catch Zero off guard by punching him as they fell, but Zero caught his arm and threw him to the ground into Roll. Zero touched down and quickly caught the incoming Razor attack from Tango. He turned around and threw Tango into Rush. Beat Flew in for another attack, but Zero grabbed the mechanical bird right out of the air.

"Beat!" yelled Blues as he hurried to help. But he wasn't fast enough. Zero crushed the little bird with his bare hands.

"No!" Blues fired two charged blasts from his cannon. Zero sprung past them and kicked Blues back to the ground. Forte punched Zero from behind and continued towards Zero with his fists reared. Zero easily overwhelmed him and Forte found himself flying back again. Roll charged with Tango beside her. She fired a couple shots to keep Zero busy while she picked up Tango, who had already morphed into its razor blade, and threw him towards Zero. Zero got ready to catch the razor again, but Tango morphed out of it at the last second and knocked Zero over. The cat began clawing at Zero ferociously. Zero caught the cat's arms and ripped them out of his sockets. Tango, taking no notice of this, proceeded to bite at Zero. He grabbed the cat by its body and thrust it into the ground completely smashing Tango's armored body. The cat lay motionless.

"This isn't going well… Forte can you still use the fusion upgrade?" Forte turned his head to Rockman.

"Yeah…"

"Well this would be a great time to use them! Rush!"

"Gospel!" The Dogs latched onto their masters and a bright light shined from both of them. When the light faded, Rockman had red armor and Jet boosters on his back; Forte's yellow spots on his armor had turned purple and he had wings on his back. Zero was unfazed by the changes and charged forward. The two rocketed into the air and into opposite directions. They fired their rocket arms at Zero which knocked Zero to the ground as he was turning around. Right as Zero got up, Rockman and Forte began flying past, knocking Zero from side to side as they whisked by. Blues crouched down and put his shield over his head; Roll jumped on top and with Blues' added push, she flipped into the air and fired multiple blasts at Zero.

The fight was suddenly going in their favor. Or so they were all lead to believe. Zero had had quite enough. As Forte came around for another pass, Zero anticipated his approach and round house kicked Forte sending him in the direction he was going, only faster and out of control. Rockman sped up in attempted to catch Zero in the back, but Zero spun around and braced himself. As Rockman rammed him, Zero held his ground as his feet made huge cuts in the ground. Eventually they stopped and Rockman couldn't move Zero any further no matter how fast his boosters were firing. As he tried to back away Zero caught him in his tracks and began unloading fast punches into Rockman, followed by a kick that could shatter steel. Rockman flew over the ground and bounced many times off of scattered debris. As he came to a stop, his armor suddenly turned back to blue and a severly mangled Rush lay beside him.

"No… Rush…" Rockman tried to move, but he found he could barely do so. Zero began approaching him slowly. Blues tried desperately to distract of stall Zero from reaching Rockman, but all his efforts either resulted in no effect, or he himself as a projectile in the air. Roll was too busy digging Forte out of a pile of debris to notice the situation her brother was in. Zero knocked Blues away for the umpteenth time when he finally reached Rockman. Desperate, Rockman lifted his armcannon and fired multiple blasts at Zero, to no avail. Zero brought his foot down hard on Rockman's chest.

"ARRGH!" Rockman grunted in pain. _This can't be… _He opened his eyes only to see Zero's fist for an instant right in front of his face.

…

…

…

There was a noise; a rather disturbing one at that; one that sounded like metal crunching metal. The last three warriors stood staring at what had just happened. The great fighter and protector of the world and all humanity… was gone.

None of them could believe it. Some of them didn't want to believe it.

"Damn you!" Blues dashed at Zero.

"You'll pay!" Roll followed behind. Forte scrambled to his feet and flew up above. (He still has his special armor.) Blues and Roll fired charged shots as they ran towards Zero. Zero moved swiftly past the blasts and charged at Roll. At the last second, Blues stepped in front of Roll with his shield in front. Zero made contact with the shield, with such force that Blues was thrown into a nearby tower, which collapsed on top of him. Roll Stepped forward to attack, but was met with a fist to the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She struggled to get up, but she had no need to worry. Forte had already engaged Zero from the sky, launching many blasts and rocket arms. Zero used one of the blasts for propulsion by riding the shockwave into the air. He came level with Forte, Who tried to fight him, but didn't have much luck as Zero ripped the wings off Forte's back. Forte fell to the ground and lost his fusion with Gospel, who now lay in pieces next to him. Zero landed and headed for Forte, but Roll rammed him from the side and began unloading blasts into Zero. Zero reached forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. He flung her over his shoulder and kicked her into a nearby wall. Zero dashed forward and continued to attack her. He even knocked her helmet clean off, exposing her blond hair. She was helpless… and she knew it wouldn't be long before Zero decided to stop toying with her and kill her. She made attempts to defend herself, but each one was countered with ease. Battered and beaten Roll fell to the ground against a wall. She braced her self and closed her eyes, ready for the worst.

She heard Zero hit something, but she felt nothing. She opened her eyes.

Forte stood over her. In his hand he was holding back Zero's punch.

"I won't… let you… HURT HER!" Forte threw a punch that landed right in Zero's face. Zero stumbled a couple feet back. As he reared his body up, Forte hit him again, and again, and again. Every time Zero tried to recover, Forte only hit him again. Zero finally recovered in time and threw his own punch, knocking Forte back a bit. Forte held his ground and returned the hit. Back and forth, back and forth, the two kept striking each other with punches that could crush mountains. Forte was determined… the sight of Roll at death's door caused him to pull himself together and find inner strength to fight with.

Roll pulled herself to her feet and watched as Forte and Zero fiercely beat on each other. _How is Forte taking all those hits? _The two constantly went at each other; each time one would end up stumbling back, only to recover and continue. Eventually Forte and Zero latched hands together and began a test of strength. No matter how much power Forte had gained, Zero was still stronger. Slowly Zero pushed him back until they were up against a wall. Forte, unwilling to give up, thrust his head forward, head butting Zero in the face. Zero fell back, and Forte's helmet broke into pieces, exposing his spiky purple hair. Zero rolled backward and sprung up quickly. His stare had turned into an angered look. He pinned Forte to the wall.

He only said one word. "Enough." Using his left hand to hold Forte's waist down, Zero took his right hand and tore Forte's body clean off his waist. Forte was screaming in pain; Roll watched in horror, but she struggled to lift her arm cannon in hopes of protecting him.

Zero now held Forte by the neck in the air. Everything Forte had left was numb. He was only half himself anyway so it was to be expected. Zero raised his fist for the finishing blow. He was cut short by a plasma blast that came from his left and exploded on him. He, of course, was unaffected by it, but he dropped Forte and walked towards Roll, who had fired the blast. She couldn't move… that last blast used up any energy she had left. He grabbed her by the hair and thrust his hand clean through her stomach. He let go and Roll fell to the ground on her back, motionless. Zero looked towards the main lab and walked towards it, leaving a graveyard in his wake.

…

…

An hour past; Forte was still somewhat conscious and slowly dying. His entire life played back in his mind as he lay, staring into the sky. Suddenly he heard a small rumbling noise, followed by footsteps. Soon he saw a shadow looming over him.

"Forte? Oh man…"

"Blues… is that you?"

"Yeah it's me… I just climbed out from under that tower… so we lost huh…

"Yeah… if I had to guess I'd say Dr. Light has probably been killed too."

"Alright I'm going to go check it out… rest in peace my friend…"

"Wait… before you go… I want to… see her face… one last time…"

"……very well…" Blues picked up the body of Forte and carried him over to where Roll lay. He set him down beside her.

Forte turned his head slowly to see her beside him.

"Roll… I'm sorry it all had to end up this way… whether it be life or death, heaven or hell, or anything else the world could challenge us with…" He painfully raised his hand and a stroked the side of her face once. "I will always love you…… see you… on the other side…" Forte's arm went limp and he closed his eyes as the last bit of energy ran out of him and he blacked out… for good.

…

…

…

Back to the present with Forte and Zero………

…

…

…

"Do you see now, brother? Do you see just how important it is to have an attachment? Not only does it give you untapped strength, but it also gives you a reason to fight and live…… you must remember that everybody fights for something…"

"I…understand… but…"

"But what?"

"I've purposely avoided becoming too attached to people… because the last time I had a major attachment… she died… by my own hands even!"

"…You've missed the major point…"

"What!"

"Get some rest idiot… I will give you time to think it over tomorrow… if you can't figure it out within that time however, I will spare you your misery and kill you right here…"

Those last words cut through Zero like a sword.

"Until tomorrow." Forte said as he settled himself against a rock.

Zero didn't move for a moment. He knew the answer was somewhere… but where was it? He had to search his soul… or else it would bring the legendary reploid to an end…

--To be continued--

* * *

Ah such a sad story... and such a tough one to write also... the fight description took me 2 days to plan... but hey i do what i must to please the crowd!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter... Will Zero find his answer? Find out next time in Believe in Me ch. 15!

Read and Review! (please!)

Flashgunner over and out!


	15. The Fighting Spirit

aye the line button isn't working on the doc manager...

OH!

hi everybody! Flashgunner reporting in here to give you the next part of my story. Writing time has been hard to come by lately, but i have been putting extra effort into the time i do get. just for you guys! arn't i nice?

anyway this is the 15th installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

**Emphasis** - tis a new one!

Enjoy!

(time for my makeshift line)

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Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 15: The Fighting Spirit

Ciel had not done much since Zero went to go find his brother. Her days in Wily's hidden complex consisted of sleeping, going for walks outside the base, eating food that was brought to her, reading from Wily's database library, and typing away on her laptop. She was keeping a record of her journey, but since nothing was happening she usually stuck to reading. She had come across many interesting books. Some were so ancient that even she had never heard of them. _The Odyssey, Moby Dick, The Count of Monte Cristo, A Christmas Carol, _and_ War and Peace _to name a few_… _all were books in which the story takes place a few millennia in the past. Ciel found these very interesting to read. She was also an extremely fast reader, even for a scientist, so she was able to finish most of the books within two to three days.

The books helped her pass the time, but no matter what she did she couldn't stop worrying about Zero. _I know Zero can take care of himself… but it seems as though he's taking too long… aren't we cutting it a little close to the time Sigma said he would attack? _Zero still hadn't mentioned that he threatened to kill Ciel first. Unaware of the fate that would surly come upon her if Zero should fail, Ciel prayed for Zero's success.

…

…

"If you can't figure it out within that time however, I will spare you your misery and kill you right here…"

Zero hadn't moved an inch since his brother had spoken the chilling words. What **was** he missing? What **else** must be recognized? What **more** must he care for? These were a few of the multitudinous questions that flooded his mind.

_I fight using a common goal as my motivation… that's how it is, what more is there?_ Zero was perplexed toward his dilemma. He persevered, however, for he knew that if he died, the world's chances would too. The night slowly past as Zero constantly pressed more and more thought towards the question.

_He said I need to fight for someone or something… well I do fight for something, Ciel's ideals… but for some reason that doesn't seem to be cutting it. I need to figure out what it is that I cherish most, but that's not it… I'm also missing something else…_

Morning had past and Zero didn't have much time left before Forte would return. He began to wonder if this was really the end for him. Before he knew it Zero spotted his brother moving towards him from a distance…

…

…

…

Wily's lab was silent as the hologram of Dr. Wily kept his eyes glued to the monitor in his laboratory. The monitor was the feed from a private satellite that watched over the Earth.

Suddenly and unexpected beeping noise filled the room.

"Accept." Ordered the hologram.

"Albert?" The voice spoke from the speakers. Wily knew the voice and immediately turned around.

"Is that you Thomas?"

"Yes it's me… it's been a while… say two hundred years since we talked?"

"Yes it has… what can I do for you?"

"Well… my son is currently searching for a friend… both my son and his friend are cyber elves I might add… and he's having trouble locating him… the elf scanner in my secret lab ran out of energy about twenty years ago… I'm assuming you still have yours…"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do."

"Ok perfect… so anyway… My son X is searching for a cyber elf named Axl…………"

…

…

…

Zero stood still as Forte slowly advanced toward him. All of Zero's senses began to block up and artificial sweat rolled down his concealed forehead. Forte stopped a pace or two away from Zero and looked him in the eye.

"So… did you figure it all out?

Zero sat silently for a moment. "No."

"Well that's too bad… I hope you're prepared to die…"

Forte turned and took a couple steps back while throwing off the brown cloak he was wearing.

Zero's thoughts raced in circles, for he know his brother was going to pull no punches this time… if he didn't find his factors quickly he would be history.

Forte took a stance and sent a nerve piercing glare at Zero. Zero began to shake… and instantly Forte was in front of him and about to strike with a blow so powerful it's would pulverize Zero's head.

All time stopped. Nothing was moving. The pendulum of time had frozen in place and many voices of the past found their way into Zero's head.

"I will fight for the future of all Humans and Reploids."

_Harpuia…_

"No matter what happens I will fight along side Harpy and everyone else."

_Leviathan…_

"I will lend you my hand towards the goal, and my rapier towards the battle!"

_Elpizo…_

"Together we can win the fight… it'll just be like old times…"

_X…_

"Well… Well… look who decided to come home after all these years!"

_Father…_

"Everybody fight's for something Brother… What do you fight for?

_Brother…_

"I've devoted my life towards a future of peace… and I won't stop working until it is achieved."

_Ciel……………………wait…………Ciel!_

Zero brought up his hand and blocked the upcoming punch with incredible speed.

_I've got it!_

A bright light shined from Zero's body. When it faded, his armor was black.

_It isn't Ciel's ideals I fight for! I fight for her!_

Zero threw a swift punch into Forte's stomach making him gasp for air. As Forte regained his composure looked up, he saw Zero winding up another punch.

_Because without Ciel… Everything we fought for, everybody that came together, and every accomplishment we've attained……… would never have taken place!_

Zero thrust his body forward as he brought his fist to Forte's face. The amount of power that Zero poured into the hit was so immense, that Forte found himself air born. He flew through four trees before coming to a halt on the ground.

_Without Ciel… I wouldn't have a reason to fight._

Zero shifted from his battle stance and looked at his body. "This is… my black armor!"

"So you finally got it huh?" Zero looked up to see his brother walking back towards him. "With your realization you unlocked a power that had been dormant in you for years." Zero could feel the power flowing through him. He relaxed and let the power recede, making his armor turn back to red. "I hoped you have also realized why I used this situation to awaken the power."

"I know… because I too have figured it out; that the will to live is the most powerful driving force."

"Good… you aren't as dumb as I thought."

"With this power I'll be able to take on Sigma……" _I wonder if I'll be able to beat him without X and Axl…… X hasn't come back yet so I'd assume the search is taking a while…… a while? _Zero suddenly panicked."Brother! How long have we been out here?"

"About three weeks and six days." Zero's eyes shot open.

"Thanks a lot for all the help brother! I need to leave right now!"

"Fine… I was getting tired of seeing your face anyway…" But zero was already too far away to catch the insult. "Feh…"

"He'll make it in time…"

Forte rolled his eyes at the sound of the voice. "I never understood why you just stalk around the world… you should find a nice place to spend your life like I have…"

"I can't do that… from the day I was activated, I've devoted myself to watching over the world… I don't intervene anymore, but I still observe."

"Hmph big words from the first highly advance robot ever created… I never understood you Blues…" Forte turned and faced who he was talking to. He was a red and grey robot, sporting a shield, a yellow scarf, and a pair of shades attached to his helmet that covered his eyes.

Blues stepped towards Forte. "Ah… by the way… I visited the girl that came along with Zero… She knew my fathers saying already, and there was a glint of determination in her eyes… so it looks like this generation is set."

"…About the girl… what did she look like…?"

"Oh… well… she is short, has blond hair that she keeps in a ponytail, blue eyes, and an innocent face… she reminded me of my sister…"

Forte only smiled as he looked off into the direction Zero had run. "Good luck brother…"

…

…

…

…

Zero burst into Wily's lab, knocking over Shadow Man as he barged in.

"Hey! What's the big idea! HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Shadow man watched Zero dash down the hall.

He knocked on Ciel's door. She opened it. "Zero! You're ba…" Zero quickly interrupted her.

"We have to leave NOW! Sigma is supposed to attack today!"

"What! But we'll never make it back!"

"I can make it back now in about an hour but we have to go!"

Ciel quickly shoved everything into her small bag and followed Zero out of the base. "How are we going to get back in an hour?" She was surprised when zero crouched down.

"Get onto my back!" Ciel didn't question and obeyed. A bigger surprise came to her when Zero began to glow and his armor turned to black.

"Wha…what are you going to do Zero?"

"Hold on tight!"

"Oh no… Zero!"

Zero suddenly picked up into the air and fired his jet boosters at maximum power. The two were gone faster than one could blink.

…

…

…

…

Harpuia knocked on Leviathan's door. "Levi it's me."

Leviathan opened the door and let him in.

"What is it?"

"How do you feel about this?"

"About what?"

"About knowing that at any moment you could be attacked by a Reploid that beat Zero by flicking him?"

"Are you nervous?"

"A little…"

"I never thought I'd hear that from you…"

"What about you? Are you nervous?"

"Well… worried would be the better word to use…"

"Worried?"

"Yes…"

"About what?"

"Well… with all that has happened… I'm worried that it will be all for naught, I mean, what if we are utterly destroyed? If that happens, then everything we've accomplished in the past few months will be worth nothing?"

"Levi…"

"…So much has happened that has brought me joy and happiness… I would hate to lose it all in an instant."

Harpuia sat down on the bed next to her. "Levi… no matter what happens, we will prevail. If we put all of our heart into our actions we can overcome anything. The chances become marginally bigger if we work together." He took his hand in hers. "If we stay together the possibilities are endless."

"Oh Harpy…" She leaned in to kiss him, but Harpuia's communicator began to beep rather loudly. He quickly reached for it and flipped it open.

"What is it?"

"Sir! We have a visitor at the front gate and we need confirmation. Would you mind coming down here? He said he'll wait."

"Alright I'll come right now." He closed the gadget and got up to leave. Leviathan grabbed his arm.

"I'll come with you."

"Alright."

The two made their way down the halls of the base and out to the front gate. Harpuia and Leviathan entered the control room and walked over to the officer on duty.

"Who is out there?"

"We don't know sir… but he's standing extremely close to the camera…"

"Is it just some nut?" Harpuia went over to the monitor. The face on the screen had entirely purple eyes and a red pearl in his forehead along with a crazed smirk. Harpuia cocked an eyebrow and grabbed the microphone. "State your business…"

"Oh…Hello there…heh heh heh… Can Zero come out and play?"

As soon as realization had dawned on Harpuia, a massive explosion rocked the Resistance base.

---To be continued---

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Ho boy! things are heating up! i hope you guys are ready for some action cause i am!

As for my next update... i'm not quite sure how soon or how long it will be... schoolsabout to start and i need to get certain things taken care of along with Football. BUT! i will find time to write. how couldn't i? i mean you guys give me great reviews so i give you more of what you want!

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	16. A Little Fun

alright before i get this started, a recent reviewer told me that Harpuia and Leviathan were brother and sister. I never believed this to be so. in fact there is no real evidence towards his argument. besides, in the first MMZ game Leviathan refers to him as that pretty boy. not only that, but the way i've always looked at it, is that the four of them were submitted to X as cadidates for the four guardiens along with many others, all of which were created by different people. Then X chose the four who fit the job. Thats how i see it anyway. Ok enough of this.

I have found enough time to crank out this next chapter for all of ya! School starts in a week for me so i don't know if i can manage to get one more chapter out before that. I'll try though... because once school starts i won't have much time to write.

But let's look on the bright side of things! This is the 16th installment of the story Believe in me.

Story

"talking"

_thingking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

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Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 16: A little "Fun"

Harpuia braced himself as the base shook violently. All of the monitors in the room short circuited, a couple fuses blew in the control panels, and the light's overhead shattered. Harpuia and Leviathan wasted no time as they drew their weapons and ran outside. Dust and smoke was everywhere, blurring the vision of the two warriors. Soon they could make out what seemed to be a giant hole in the base's forty foot tall defense wall.

"This is not good… not good at all!" Stated Harpuia.

"Harpy! What are we going to do! We can't fight this thing! Only Zero can!" Harpuia barely heard her words, for his mind had already completed five laps.

_Even together Levi and I won't stand a chance! What ARE we going to do! ………… that's all I can think of for now!_

"Levi!"

"Yeah?"

"Believe in Zero! He said he would be back in time! So all we have to do is hold out long enough until he returns!"

"But… how long do you think we'll last against……" She was cut short by her own fear as a figure began to appear from the smoke.

"Don't worry Levi we'll pull through! Remember what I told you? No matter how tough a challenge we face… we can best it if we work together! We may not be able to destroy Sigma… but we will sure be able to survive long enough!"

Levi only had time for a reassuring nod towards Harpy, for Sigma was already clear of the mess he had caused and was staring towards the two. His demeanor sent shivers down both their spines as his fierce glare pierced emotions, and his torn red cape flowing in the wind only added a more menacing look to his already terrifying aura. (For those of you who have played the game… the look intended for Sigma here is his look from the first Megaman X game. Flash)

Sigma applied his typical crazed smirk before he began speaking, "Heh heh heh… where is Zero? I've got a special treat for him; I even wrapped it in a package of oblivion!"

_Here goes… plan A see if he'll wait._ "Zero isn't here right now…" began Harpuia. "If you want to fight him you'll have to wait a little bit. He's on his way here now." _I hope._

"Well……… If he's going to be a little late for the party then I guess I'll have fun killing you two and everybody in this base to pass the time!"

_Shit, shit, plan B… Bluff. _"Are you sure you want to fight against me? I'm really powerful… even Zero would have a tough time against me."

"You are Harpuia of the four guardians… Zero has defeated you many times. You pose no threat to me."

_I'm screwed… plan C then… Survive! _"Take this!"

Harpuia fired a sonic boom at Sigma. Sigma brought up his hand, and the blast dissipated. Leviathan formed two ice dragons and directed them towards Sigma. The dragons didn't even touch him as they broke apart about three feet away from him.

"So… you want to play? I guess I'll have to make do with you two until Zero gets here!" Sigma appeared before Harpuia and kneed him in the stomach sending him flying into the base wall. Leviathan lifted her staff to attack, but Sigma was already behind her. He grabbed her arm and flung her into Harpuia who was getting up from the rubble. "Please tell me you two can do better… I don't want to be bored while I'm waiting you know…"

Leviathan and Harpuia climbed off each other and faced the symbol of the Mavericks.

"Harpy… how do you suppose we go about this?"

"How? To tell you the truth… I have no idea…"

"Well I guess that leaves one thing…"

"Yeah… we just need to fight him to the best of our ability… to stay alive longer though… we need to work together…"

"Alright let's go!"

The two of them jumped at sigma, weapons reared, and ready to attack. Sigma did not move, almost as if he welcomed their fruitless efforts. As they began attacking, Sigma blocked each of their attacks with his hands. Not a single blow connected. Simultaneously, Harpuia and Leviathan jumped and swung at Sigma's head. Sigma ducked, effortlessly dodging the attacks. Both warriors quickly circled around Sigma and faced his back. Sigma saw them move and kicked his legs out behind him. Hitting both of them in the face. They both regained their balanced and charged again, but Sigma levitated his body into the air, causing Harpuia and Leviathan to strike at air. They wasted no time as they turned and rocketed into the air towards Sigma. Sigma raised both his hands, forming dark energy in his palms. He thrust his hands down, causing two beams of purple energy to fire towards Harpuia and Leviathan. Leviathan barely dodged the blast as the shockwave sent her falling to the ground. Harpuia moved as quickly as he could in attempt to move out of the blast's path. Leviathan landed upright and looked towards Sigma, who was no longer there.

"Behind you!" Sigma kicked her in the back of the head and she skidded to a stop on the ground.

"Damn…" Leviathan slowly picked herself up from the ground. "Are you ok Harpy……HARPY!" Harpuia was down on one knee, clutching his left shoulder where his arm used to be attached.

"How inconvenient… having to fight with one arm…"

"Hah! I guess I'm being too hard on you! Maybe I should tone it down some more?" Sigma taunted.

Harpuia rose to his feat and pointed his one saber at Sigma. "Don't underestimate us Sigma… We may be far weaker than you… but that doesn't mean we can't put up a fight!"

"Then show me!"

"Levi…"

"Yes?"

"Do you have any new techniques from our training?"

"Yeah I have one…"

"Ok good I have one too… but mine takes a while to build up power… do you think you can distract him while I build up power?"

"Can you do it with one arm?"

"The lack of limb poses no restriction… as long as I have one arm I can do it… so can you hold him off?

"…yes I can."

"Alright… lets do this!"

"Here I come, Sigma!" Leviathan burst forward.

Harpuia held his saber about a foot away from his face and began to concentrate all his power into the blade. In the mean time, Leviathan rushed toward sigma and began swinging her lance sporadically at him. Sigma blocked every attempted with his arms, until he grew bored and began attacking her. She didn't have a chance to fight back as Sigma continued to push her back. Harpuia continued to concentrate as his sword began to glow green. Leviathan jumped back and jumped high into the air.

"Now for my new technique!" She recalled her lance and held her hands into the air. A light blue ball of energy appeared above her head.

"What's this?" Sigma watched as the ball of energy slowly grew larger.

"Freezer beam!" Leviathan thrust her hands in the direction of Sigma causing the blue energy to fire from her hands in the form of an energy beam. Sigma moved back, away from the beam's path, but Leviathan moved her hands to the side, bending the beam to follow him.

"How annoying…" Sigma faced the beam and put out his palm. The beam made contact and a cloud of mist burst outward upon impact. When the mist dissipated Sigma was still standing and nothing had happened.

"He… caught the blast and… nullified the ice energy?" Leviathan didn't know what to do.

"You like energy blasts? Try this one!" Sigma launched a ball of purple energy towards Leviathan, with such speed that she had no time to react. The blast exploded on her and she fell to the ground.

"I'm growing bored… I guess I'll have to kill one of you…" Sigma brought up his hand, ready to fire a blast that would surely finish off Leviathan. She struggled to get up, but she wouldn't be able to move in time. Suddenly there was a bright flash. Sigma took no notice, but Leviathan looked towards Harpuia. He was surrounded by a green aura, and his saber had extended by about seven feet and was glowing green.

"Bloody tornado!" Harpuia began to spin, he spun faster, faster, and faster until he was spinning so fast that he looked like a green tornado. He spun towards sigma.

"What?" Sigma looked to the side, in time to see Harpuia about to attack. As fast as sigma was… he didn't have time to react as Harpuia used his centrifugal force to deliver a blow to sigma's body with such power that the ground below them began to crumble. As the long saber connected a massive energy output caused an explosion that engulfed the two of them. Leviathan stared towards the dust cloud as it slowly faded and saw Harpuia and Sigma standing right next to each other. Harpuia's saber was touching Sigma… but little had happened.

"You managed to put a couple small cracks in my armor… quite a technique for one of your power…"

"No way……" said Harpuia was he shivered at the site of what little his greatest technique could do against the monster known as Sigma.

"Now I've had quite enough…" Sigma threw a punch into Harpuia's stomach, making him fall to his knees. Sigma picked him up by the throat. "You are nothing compared to Zero…" Sigma threw Harpuia and he slid to a stop on the ground. Sigma continued to walk towards him. Leviathan watched with horror off to the side. She wanted to get up and help Harpuia, but her legs wouldn't respond… she was stranded and she couldn't do a thing to save him. "I commend your valiant efforts, but only Zero has the knowledge and power required to face me." He kicked Harpuia's body making him slide across the ground. "Once I take care of you I will start killing off everybody in this building, then I will turn to that human settlement. Unless Zero comes back soon I'm going to leave him some nasty surprises in the form of dead humans and reploids!" he spread his palm over Harpuia. "I'll have your dead bodies at the top of the stack!" A ball of purple energy began to form in his hand. "I'll make sure Zero sees you in h…" Sigma suddenly stopped talking and the ball of energy disappeared from his hand. He turned around and walked away from Harpuia; he walked toward an open area and stared into the distance. His eyes were fixed on something in the distance… something that seemed to be moving closer… closer rather quickly. There was a sudden sonic boom and bright flash of light; the ground shook violently, but Sigma didn't move.

When the dust cleared, standing a few paces away from Sigma, was Zero. Is demeanor was physically intimidating as he stood there in his black armor, the steam rising off of his armor, due to the high speeds he was traveling at, only added to the effect.

_Black armor… I guess Zero found what he was looking for… _"Well it's about damn time Zero!" Harpuia commented.

"Where is Ciel?" Asked Leviathan

"I dropped her off at the human settlement… she'll be much safer there…" Zero turned to Sigma. "You nearly killed my friends… you always stoop to the lowest forms of torture…"

"Heh… Have you ever known me to do anything else?"

"No actually……… Sigma… we're not fighting here… lets move to a location where nobody is in danger…"

"Have it your way… it won't change your fate… no matter what kind of power you've attained… I will surpass it and kill you!"

"Just follow me you crazy bastard." Zero lifted up into the air and flew off. Sigma trailed him.

Harpuia and Leviathan watched them fly off. Harpuia managed to drag himself to his feet and hobbled over to her. He helped her up with his remaining arm and she propped herself against his shoulder for support.

"Well… there he goes… once again to save us all." Began Harpuia.

"Do you think Zero can take him?"

"Levi listen to yourself… this is Zero we're talking about here…"

"Of course… if he can't do it… then we've truly lost all hope… and we already know that that can never happen… Come now… we need to get fixed up."

"That would be a good idea…"

…

…

…

…

"Here… nothing lives within a ten mile radius of this place." Zero lowered to the ground and faced Sigma as he two lowered himself.

"Which makes it a fitting place to be your final resting place."

"You talk too much." Zero drew his saber.

"Perhaps… but then again… I'm crazy… right? Heh heh…" sigma threw off his cape and drew his own saber. "Now come… it's time to finish our endless battle!"

"That's right… no matter what… this time we fight with no reserves… everything is fair game… no coming back from the dead, and no reserve bodies… either way it ends here and now…" Zero took a battle stance. "Bring it."

Sigma also took a stance. As the two were engulfed in a stare-down… all of their past battles were cycling through their heads… every fight, every battle, every victory, and every defeat.

It would all add up to this confrontation……… winner… takes all.

---to be continued---

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alright i realize this was a little short compared to some of my other recent chapters... but the element of suspense is what keeps the reader wanting more. (plus this was where i intended to stop it... the survival scene took less space than i thought.) But... the final battle is about to begin. the battle that will determind to fate of the entire world, and the human and reploid race.

Next time: ZERO vs. SIGMA!

so now i leave you all for now, but fear not! i shall get the next chapter as quickly as i can within humanly limits.

oh i also have my first football game of the season tomorrow so wish me luck!

Flashgunner over and out!


	17. The Never Ending Bout pt 1

last weekend of summer vacation for me so i've been making the most of it! i even managed to finish another chapter!

alright a couple say before we start.

1. Those who own a copy of Dragonball Z #1 (the manga) the fight with Harpuia and Leviathan vs. Sigma should look familiar

2. We won our football game! the final score was 30 - 8. it would be 36 - 8 but the touchdown i scored early in the game was called back on a bogus penalty. damn.

ANYWAY.

This is the 17th installment of Believe in me.

Story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

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Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 17: The Never Ending Bout Pt. 1

Sigma and Zero left all the memories of the past behind them as they hurled toward each other. No longer were they ancient rivals destined to fight; they saw each other as typical enemies fighting for their lives. This type of visualization blocked out any sort of intimidation effects, causing the two to fight full out with no distractions. The first clash between their sabers resonated violently through the air, cracking rocks all around them. From here the two became locked in intense sword play. Every move blocked and countered lead to another move blocked and countered. It seemed as though a ball of energy was forming around them, anything that got near them was pulverized by the power resonating from the two fighters. All of their moves were in synch and the struggle continued… until Sigma's foot slipped suddenly. Zero's eyes lit up at the opportunity and he took a swing at Sigma's head. Sigma leaned backward, smirked, and fired a laser blast from the red jewel on his forehead. The blast exploded on Zero's chest, and they both jumped back.

"Hah! Don't get careless Zero… you're black armor is powerful… I should know, you've used it against me in the past… but you'll need more than enhanced power and speed to stop me!"

Zero scoffed and stared toward Sigma. "Like I told you before… You talk too much… instead of taking the time to point out my faults to me…" Zero took his stance once again, "…we could be using that time to finish this battle sooner."

"You never cease to amuse me. Heh heh HA HA! COME!"

Zero Dashed towards Sigma, who at the same time dashed backward. Zero eventually reached Sigma and began swinging his saber. Sigma parried each blow as they continued moving across the landscape at high speed. Zero made his way next to sigma and continued attacking. The two stepped lightly across the ground as they stayed within each others reach. A cliff approached as they sped across the ground, but this did not hinder either of them. As Sigma jumped, Zero followed in motion and without losing speed. They jumped from foothold to foothold, jumping at each other from time to time in attempt at an attack. They kept moving towards the top of the cliff, but Sigma tried to cut Zero off. He suddenly jumped in front of Zero and slashed at the cliff creating a small rockslide. Instead of trying to dodge, Zero recalled his saber and brought out his wrist blades, he sliced each rock swiftly, then eyed where Sigma's flight path was leading. He instantly recalled the blade on his right wrist and his Z-gun appeared in his hand. From behind his back he aimed at the foothold Sigma was about to touch down on and fired. The foothold exploded and Sigma slipped off balance. Zero rocketed towards Sigma, delivering a punch to his face. Then he twirled in the air and drove his palm downward into Sigma's stomach. He fired his dash boosters, and the two of them hurled towards the ground. The grounds grew closer, closer, and closer. As the drew extremely close, Zero called forth his wrist blades, charged them up and released their energy downward into Sigma, launching Zero back into the air and causing Sigma's speed to increase two fold.

The impact on the ground was so intense that the shockwave caught Zero and he was barely able to regain his balance before he hit the ground. Zero drew his saber as the dust cleared. He knew that no matter how powerful that blow was; if Sigma was that easy to bring down, then he would have been gone long ago and this battle would have never taken place.

The ground beneath Zero suddenly shook. Zero realized what was going to happen, but only had time to raise his sword. Sigma burst from the ground, slashing upward at Zero's neck. The Saber's clashed and Sigma's momentum sent them both into the air. Sigma pushed his blade forward, causing Zero's grip to loosen on his saber. Sigma spun around and kicked Zero further into the air, causing him to drop his saber. Sigma spread his palm, formed a ball of dark energy in his palm, and fired. The blast exploded on Zero and he began to fall. Sigma thought he had an opening to attack, but out of nowhere, Zero's shield boomerang knocked Sigma off of his path. Zero dashed toward and caught his shield, only to hurl it back at Sigma. The shield hit Sigma again and Zero repeated the process. Zero was literally juggling Sigma in the air with his shield. After hitting sigma a good eleven or twelve times, Zero dove towards the ground, and caught his falling Z-saber. He spun around and hurled it upward towards Sigma. Zero heard an impact, but couldn't see it, for he was trying to round himself for a landing.

Zero quickly looked back into the sky, but saw nothing. Bewildered, he glanced around wondering where Sigma had gone. His answer came as three rings of dark energy rushed towards him from the sky. He noticed them a second too late. Two of the rings latched around his ankles, and one around his neck, knocking him over and pinning him to the ground. Sigma landed a few feet away.

"Hah! Stuck to the ground huh?" Zero noticed that the left shoulder part of Sigma's armor plating had been sliced off.

_I… missed him?_

"You got confident and careless… and look where it got you. After all these years I thought you'd know better than to drop your guard like this… it seems that I am the victor!"

Zero quickly called his Z-gun and aimed it at Sigma. Sigma instantly knocked the gun out of Zero's hand.

"You're done for Zero… oh but don't worry! I'll make sure all of your friends join you in hell!" Sigma raised his saber into the air. Zero's mind was running in circles.

_I can't die! I can't die now! There are too many people that need me! Too many things that need to be protected! I need to survive! _

Zero's left arm suddenly began to glow.

_I need to survive! For everyone! For Harpuia, Leviathan, Cerveau, Croir, Alouette… and… Ciel!_

Zero's arm had transformed into an arm cannon, which he immediately brought up and unloaded a charged blast into Sigma's face. Sigma tumbled back and fell to the ground propping himself on one arm. The rings around Zero disappeared due to Sigma's broken focus.

"An arm cannon!"

"Looks like I finally figured out how to call it… I bet my brother would still say I'm pitiful…"

"It means nothing! I just need to beat you down some more!" Sigma shot up and made a break towards Zero. Zero called his saber to his right hand, and kept the blaster on his left. Sigma began a frontal assault on Zero, but this time he also had to worry about deflecting plasma blasts as well as Zero's counters. At first Sigma began to push Zero back, but Zero began attacking more often, causing them to stop dead in their tracks, clashing sabers every millisecond. Zero would take a chance with a charged shot from time to time hoping to catch his foe off guard, but it worked against him. The third time Zero tried using his blaster, Sigma quickly elbowed him in the stomach, knocking him off balance. As Zero fell back, Sigma jumped above him, ready to pound Zero into the ground with his foot. Zero, however, recovered quickly, and, as he was falling back, reached up with his left arm and fired a charged shot into Sigma sending him skyward.

_This is…… this is it! I can get him now!_

Zero called back his blaster to free both hands. He jumped level with Sigma and, with his saber, began unloading a massive assault into the helpless falling lord of evil. Zero didn't stop; he let out all of the pain Sigma had caused him into Sigma and then some. After going berserk for a good minute, he let up and Sigma began to fall. Zero dove after him, building up energy in his saber as he went down. Sigma hit the ground, and began struggling to get up, but as Zero reached the ground, he slammed his saber into the earth, causing massive blades of energy to splash upward into Sigma, once again knocking him into the air. He jumped after his Foe and pushed his saber against Sigma's back while firing his boosters, sending them high into the air. When Zero let go, he flew above Sigma and drove his saber into Sigma's back, using all of his weight to push the saber through him. As they began to fall, Zero jumped off Sigma's back, pulling the saber out, and called his blaster back to his left hand. He fired a fully charged shot into Sigma. Sigma and the blast impacted on the surface with a massive explosion.

Zero wasn't done. He began shooting sonic booms from his sword towards the explosion. Each once sliced right through the blast and probably did a great deal of damage to Sigma. After shooting ten of these, he called a blaster to both arms and began charging up. He aimed his blasters at the crater and began firing. He kept firing. Not letting up for even an instant. At the moment he eased up he began to charge again. This time however, he let it all out at once in a massive energy blast. The blast impacted on the surface and the explosion could be heard all around the earth.

…

…

…

…

…

Zero lowered himself to the ground. He stared over the massive crater as he reminisced about past battles he had struggled to win against Sigma. For a moment… he was relieved. Relieved that he could tell Ciel that peace could be recognized.

He thought that until the mental slap knocked his conscience over. Sigma was never one to stay down… Zero knew this. His celebration would have to wait.

"Sigma! I know you aren't finished! You've always kept something in reserve! You can't fool me!"

There was no response.

"Stop playing these games Sigma! Show yourself!"

…

…

…

…………… "Your funeral."

The ground began to shake violently. Zero looked back and forth as cliffs broke apart, and rocks crumbled. The earthquake was so intense that Zero was knocked off his feat. Suddenly, something massive erupted from the ground. When Zero regained his composure, he turned around and saw something brown. It was brown, metal, and very large. Zero was trying to figure out what it was……… then the dust cleared. Zero slowly looked up, and a cold chill ran through his body.

"No……way……" was the only phrase to leave Zero's mouth. The large brown metal object that was about fifty meters across, was Sigma's right foot. Sigma had not changed in appearance… he was only over a billion times larger, like a titan on earth.

"WHAT'S WRONG ZERO? AM I TOO BIG FOR YOU TO TAKE ON? HAHAHA! LOOKS LIKE I WIN!"

Sigma's massive body moved slightly as he brought a gigantic fist into the air and began moving it towards the ground. Zero turned to run, but there was no way he could get away in time. Sigma's fist struck the ground, creating a shockwave with multitudes of power. The blast not only blew Zero away, but it also caused many rocks to smash into him.

Zero landed about a half a mile away from Sigma. His body was battered and damaged.

"I… I can't fight him like this… there's just no way!"

Sigma turned and took one step, making him right next to Zero.

"SAY GOODNIGHT, OLD FRIEND!"

Sigma spread his massive palm, obviously preparing to charge and fire a dark energy blast, only many times the size of his normal ones.

"I'm… sorry Ciel… we worked so hard, but in the end we…… we failed…"

Without warning a blast many times the size of the ones Zero was firing came hurling in from out of the blue and struck Sigma in the face.

"ARGH… WHO?"

A blue reploid landed next to Zero. "Who said you could end this battle without fighting all of us!"

Zero looked towards the voice. "X!"

Another large blast identical to X's, flew towards Sigma and hit him in the face again. Another blue reploid landed next to Zero.

"X?" Zero was confused, until the second X blurred out and a black and grey reploid stood in its place, holding two pistols. "Axl!"

"You'll have to face all of us! Just like you always did!"

"Here Zero… absorb this…" X handed Zero a large energy core. Zero grabbed onto it and absorbed all of it, putting back to tip top shape.

"For a moment there I thought you had failed in finding Axl…"

"I wouldn't leave you to die would I?"

"Point taken." Axl approached Zero.

"Ready to finally put an end to this menace?" he asked Zero as X was priming his weapons.

"I was born ready." Zero replied with a small smile on his face.

The three faced the tower known as Sigma. X began to glow a bright white light; when it disappeared, X appeared wearing his ultimate armor. Axl did the same; when the light faded, he was donning his white armor.

"BRING IT ON YOU WEAKLINGS!"

"Let's go!" yelled Zero. They all drew their main weapons and jumped at Sigma, it was time to settle it…… once and for all.

---To be continued---

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And so the real battle has begun!

BEFORE YOU ASK THE QUESTION I SHALL ANSWER IT FOR YOU!

ahem. the next chapter will **NOT **be the last chapter. in FACT, there is still one more whole part to the story that i spent days planning out. the first two parts are the build up... and the last part will be my masterpiece...

But for now! keep reading! The three warriors we all know and love from the X games are reunited and together they will fight Sigma! it all comes together in Believe in Me ch. 18 The Never Ending Bout pt. 2!

please read and review! (you guys have given me great reviews from square one. thanks!)

Flashgunner over and out!


	18. The Never Ending Bout pt 2

woo the line button on the doc manager works again.

OH MAN... so much school work... collage prep schools give TOO much of it. Among all of my work and all of my practices and games for football, i've barely any time to write, but hey i need to finish this story sooner or later so i might as well hurry up and get to the final part eh?

anyway, here is the 18th installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Empasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 18: The Never Ending Bout Pt. 2

A van drove up to the battered resistance base. Ciel jumped out quickly.

"Thanks for the ride Guile!"

"It's the least I can do… you and the Resistance have done so much for us…"

"Zero is the one you should thank the most… just go back to the rest of the people and tell them to go into hiding just in case… I don't know what's going on right now, but do it just to be on the safe side."

"Alright I'll do that… hopefully we'll see you all again." Guile rolled the window back up and drove off.

Ciel quickly made her way into the base. She looked back and forth at the damage. _What **happened **here? Ah! _"Soldier! What in the world happened here!" The scavenging resistance soldier got up and faced Ciel.

"We were attacked by some really scary looking reploid. General Harpuia and General Leviathan tried to fight him, but he overwhelmed them effortlessly. Then Zero showed up, but the two of them just left."

_Zero… _"Ah! Where are Harpuia and Leviathan now?"

"They went straight to Cerveau… they should be in his lab…"

"Ok thank you…" Ciel turned and walked to the resistance personnel entrance. She made her way down the hallway and was drawing close to Cerveau's Lab, when the Ground suddenly shook as if a fault line had just been ripped apart.

"What in the world was THAT! Zero… are you going to be okay?"

…

…

…

The three legendary warriors dispersed as Sigma lunged a giant fist to the ground. X jumped into the air and spread his arms, causing two flaps to attach to his forearms. His booster jets on his boots suddenly fired violently, and he rocketed through the air like an arrow towards Sigma's head. He hit Sigma below the chin, knocking his massive head back. X did a vertical u-turn and headed straight back. Sigma brought his arm around in attempt to swat him out of the air, but X was too nimble and dodged the massive arms as they attempted to swat him out of the sky like a fly. While X distracted him, Axl and Zero ran up the side of Sigma's left leg. They reached his torso, then his chest, Zero kept going, but Axl jumped off and began unloading a barrage of plasma bullets into sigma's face. Sigma, stumbled and X rammed him at full force knocking him completely off balance. Zero ran all the way up to Sigma's face, and jammed his fully charged recoil rod into the gem on Sigma's forehead. The gem shattered and the extra force from the rod drove Sigma's head into the ground; his body followed shortly. The colossus picked himself up off the ground and eyed Zero. Zero touched down to the ground and began to run swiftly across the ground. Sigma began to reach for Zero, when a rapid burst of plasma bullets began to strike him in the back of the neck. Sigma turned to see Axl firing non-stop.

"YOU GNATS ARE BEGINNING TO ANNOY ME!" Sigma built up power in his right hand, and drove it into the ground, creating a giant shockwave. The three warriors were blown in different directions. X, being airborne, recovered the quickest, and fired a charged shot at Sigma's fist. The explosion burnt up Sigma's hand and he retracted it quickly.

Nearby……

"Jeez…" Axl got up and brushed himself off. Zero approached Axl as the gunslinger cracked his joints.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine… man… I know it's the three of us together… but don't you think that this is a bit tougher than it usually was?"

"Sigma tends to learn from his mistakes, I guess X and I would know better since you've only fought him two times in the past…"

"But he's a friggen TOWER this time… Just how are we gonna take out something his size?"

"We'll do what we've always done, fight to the best of our ability until we bring him down."

"Heh… no difference huh… well no matter how big he is we can take him!"

"Have you ever heard the story of David and Goliath?"

"What?"

"…never mind… let's go give X a hand!"

X flew backward as Sigma finally managed to land a hit on the swift maverick hunter. He tumbled through the air, towards the ground, and was ready for a rough landing. At the last second Zero caught him using the chain rod and put him safely on the ground. Axl had already engaged Sigma; after a brief thumbs up, Zero and X joined in the battle once again.

…

…

…

…

…

"Flew off settle the score?" Ciel faced the two damaged reploids as they sat on recovery beds in Cerveaus lab.

"Yes. No word. No skirmish. Just went off to solve things elsewhere." Harpuia responded. Leviathan spoke up next.

"He probably wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties, so he led Sigma away…"

"Zero…"

"I wouldn't worry about him Ciel." Ciel shifted her eyes to Harpuia. "Remember what I told you a while ago? Zero always comes back; he is too great a legend to die in a time of need."

"Yes… I do remember, but this isn't just a time of need… this is an ancient rivalry… a battle across many years… And… no matter how strong Zero is, and how much of a legend he is… he is still a reploid… and reploids are not invincible…"

"Hey! Come on now! Is that any kind of attitude to have towards the situation!" Ciel looked towards Leviathan. "Don't waste time worrying about the bad things that could happen! You need to keep Zero in your heart and pray for his success!"

"In… my heart…"

"Now come on! Stop being so pessimistic and keep your hopes high for our hero, who's giving his all for all of us and the entire world!" Ciel's worried expression had faded and it was replaced by a smile.

"Thank you Leviathan… I believe in Zero… I believe he will be the one to change our lives…" Leviathan sighed and smiled contently with the success of her motivational skills. Ciel closed her eyes and put her hands together.

_Fight Zero! As long as we're all in this together there is nothing you cannot overcome… fight and win… we'll be… and I'll be…awaiting your return…………I believe in you…_

…

…

…

…

…

"Whoa!" Axl did a quick tuck and roll to dodge Sigma's foot and quickly rocketed onto his leg, beginning the ascent towards Sigma's head. Zero was already stepping lightly up Sigma's back, and X was still keeping Sigma occupied from the front. As X dodged another swing from the massive arms, he suddenly stopped and yelled,

"Overdrive!" He began to glow yellow; he held out his buster and began firing, but each shot was equivalent to a fully charged blast. Sigma began to take steps backward as X continued the assault. When X stopped, Sigma was poised to charge at him, but Zero appeared in front of Sigma and began slashing at his face. Axl saw this from his position; he quickly fired his copy shot at X, when it hit him Axl morphed into X. He spread the flaps on his back and rocketed towards Sigma's head. Axl quickly shed his X form and fired his copy shot again, this time at Zero. He morphed into Zero and joined the crimson warrior in the assault on Sigma's face.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sigma clapped his hands together, creating a massive explosion of dark energy. X and Axl got knocked all the way down to the ground, but Zero regained his balance mid-fall with his jet boosters, and began rocketing back towards Sigma. Sigma didn't have time to react as Zero's saber extended ten fold and completely chopped off Sigma's right hand. (Yes, the whole thing. Flash).

"GRYAAAAAAA!" The giant cried out in agony. X quickly shouted to his two teammates.

"Now's are chance! Hit him with everything you've got!"

The three began unloading anything and everything they had on Sigma. Axl's guns shifted, revealing five new barrels on each gun. He pressed hard on the triggers, spurting a rapid burst of energy bullets barely a millisecond between shots. X switched on his Hyper C. function and began unloading blasts of incredible size towards Sigma. Zero, holding his triple rod in one hand and his saber in the other, moved up and down Sigma quickly, attacking him none stop. Sigma began to take steps back as this plethora of attacks refused to cease. Eventually the three stopped and Sigma stood dazed and confused in front of the heroes.

"Now! X! Axl! Divert your power into my saber!" X and Axl held their hands in the direction of Zero's saber. Waves of energy began to flow from their finger tips and into Zero's saber. As the energy caressed the beam of the saber it began to glow fiercely. Suddenly, it grew. The Sabers beam grew wider and taller until its apex pierced the clouds.

Zero clutched his saber tighter. "This is for everyone who ever wanted to live peacefully during your reign of evil, for all those who you've hurt or killed, … and for Ciel, who can finally build a better future!"

Zero brought his arms down. The massive blade cut through the air violently, and sliced the massive body of Sigma completely in two.

There was a silence as the two giant halves slowly tipped and fell to the ground with a loud crash.

A small purple cloud with Sigma's face in it floated where his body used to be.

"Argh!" The face turned and began moving away from the warriors.

Without warning, a yellow field surrounded Sigma.

"Wha… what's this?" Sigma traced the beam back to X's arm cannon.

"A virus destruction program. We finally have you Sigma, and there is no way you're going to come back anymore."

"But how? You were never able to do this in the past." The words choked out of Sigma as the cloud began to get smaller.

"The technology is different in this era Sigma." Began Zero as Sigma had almost completely faded. Zero moved closer to the field and stared at the fading cloud of dark energy. "We win." Sigma disappeared.

There was a long pause as the three warriors touched down on the ground, removing their special armors and weapons.

"It's hard to believe that he is ACTUALLY gone for good huh?" Axl Began.

"If it were a hundred or so years ago… it would be hard to believe, but thanks to the technology of the future… Sigma has finally met his end."

As Zero finished his sentence he looked towards X who was scanning to area. "Nothing… he is truly gone, and the Maverick Virus along with him… it is truly… finally… over…"

Right as X finished talking, purple steam began to rush from the earth like a broken valve.

"What the hell?" Axl pulled out his guns.

"Settle down Axl…" Zero waved a hand towards the gunslinger. "I can sense it… because the Maverick virus is gone… the evil energy is leaving the earth…"

X watched as the fumes sprouted into the air. "If I'm not mistaken… it was the evil energy's grip on the planet that created the barren wastelands that stretch far and wide… so if the energy is leaving… then grassy planes and dense forests will once again exist! It'll take a while, but they'll come back…"

If there ever were a miracle that occurred right in front of Zero's eyes, then none would be as daunting as the one that he and his former teammates witnessed. The sky turned blue, clouds appeared, and grass began to spring from the ground as well as trees. The grip on nature had been released and it came so quickly, it almost was as if it was eager to come up for air the instant the opportunity was given.

"Or… it will somehow all restore itself once the power was released…" X said as he stood dumbstruck.

"Unreal… this is just mind blowing!" Axl knelt down and watched as the grass became greener and a flower or two sprung from the terra firma.

Zero looked into the sky and wondered. _Ciel is probably really confused right now… but she is also probably overjoyed… _"Hey X… Axl… Thank you… without you two I would have been finished."

"Hey… we're buddies right? We gotta stick by each other no matter what!" Axl said as her patted Zero on the back.

"True friends will always be ready to help." X put his arm on Zero's shoulder. "It's time for you to get home and enjoy the peace that is upon us."

"Yes… I will try to enjoy it…"

"Try? C'mon man you gotta live a little!"

"Axl…"

"No… X he's right… I have been a bit stale lately…" Zero looked back and forth at the two of them. "How about we race back to the base before you two take off?"

"Heh now that's more like it! Let's go!" Axl turned his boosters up to full power and rocketed off into the distance.

"Hey!" Zero burst after him.

"Heh…" X followed suit.

At the resistance base…

"This is truly an answer to my prayers…" Ciel looked back and forth at the sudden presence of nature. "It's so beautiful…… oh how I've waited for this day!"

"Miss Ciel! Three extremely high power signatures are approaching the base at high speeds!"

Ciel's concentration broke as the soldier spoke and she turned towards him. "Three?"

"Yes three… but they show no signs of attack… it's almost as if their… racing."

"I'll meet them at the entrance."

"Right away."

Ciel walked to the entrance of the base and exited through the authorized personnel door. She stood, gazing out into the horizon and squinted as she began to see three dots moving towards her. As they drew near, the three suddenly stopped. Ciel could hear their voices in the distance.

"I win!"

"Dammit!"

"Victory goes to X… even though you got a head start Axl." Ciel picked this voice out as Zero's.

"Yeah… yeah…"

"Well Zero I guess this is where we leave."

"Alright… thanks again…" Two of the figures disappeared.

As confused as she was, Ciel thought nothing of what she just saw. She was filled with happiness as she began to make out Zero coming towards the base. He had done it. He had successfully led the world to peace. After all the years of struggling and despair, the goal had been reached and it was all because of him. He never asked for anything in return, he never took any credit, but he always was the first to step up when the opportunity came.

As Zero drew closer, Ciel noticed something. Zero still had the serious look on his face; it was as though nothing could ever change his eyes, but… There was a small smile on the end of his lips. Ciel had never seen Zero smile before. A tear of joy rolled down her cheek as Zero finally reached her.

"It's done…" was all he had time to say as Ciel threw herself into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Zero, Zero! Oh thank you Zero!" She held onto him tight, not wanting to let go.

Zero was surprised by the awkward situation he had just walked into, but he knew what this all meant to Ciel. He understood her actions, her life goal had been achieved after all.

Ciel slowly released from Zero. "I don't know how I could ever repay you Zero… I know you never care to be repaid for your actions… but there is just no way I couldn't do anything for you after all you've done for me…"

Zero put a hand on her shoulder. "Alright… I want you to build a system of peace that everybody can live in. No fighting, no hatred, no war. Just peace. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes! Yes I can!"

"Alright then… I took some damage… is Cerveau around?"

"You'll find him in the usual place."

"Alright thanks." Zero walked past her and towards the base.

"Look Zero." Zero stopped and turned around to see Ciel pointing at the sunset. "It's beautiful just like you said it will always be."

"Indeed it is… and I believe that the era of peace you create will be just as beautiful… but right now I really need to rest."

(THIS IS NOT THE END!)

---To be continued in new story arc---

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YES! i can FINALLY get to the final part of the story. this is going to be my master piece... in fact, the only reason i made the first 18 chapters was to build up to this part of the story. SOUNDS GOOD YA!

aight aight so Sigma is dead and Peace reigns, but have all the loose ends been tied up? find out next time in Believe in Me ch. 19!

please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	19. A Past Not Forgotten

JEEZ! some many things are interfereing with my writing... football, school, etc and what not, meh i'll have to get used to it...

ANYWAY... here is the opening chapter to the final part of Believe in Me! i'm so glad it finally got to this, because this was the whole idea i had in the first place... everything before this was only a buid up! yes you hear that right... a build up.

Now let the masterpiece begin...

Here i have the 19th installment of Believe in Me

Story

"Talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

ENJOY!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 19: A Past Not Forgotten

Three months had passed since Zero and his old comrades had defeated Sigma and brought peace. Nature had appeared and flourished, cities were being built, and humans and reploids worked together in harmony. Pollution was not a factor to be worried about, thanks to Ciel, who's new free energy source, the "Ciel system" negated pollution and expelled clean air when used. The capital city had just been finished; it was built over the human evacuation point that Harpuia had worked so hard to protect not too long ago. New Age, as the city was aptly named, already had citizens walking the streets and living their new lives peacefully.

Among the population there walked a tall man with long blond hair in a ponytail sporting a black leather jacket, casual jeans, and a pair of shades. He passed by citizen after citizen, all of them never knowing just who they walked past. It was none other than Zero, the legendary reploid himself from centuries ago, who recently made this peaceful life possible. He had decided it would be best to linger among the city's population in order to get used to the new era. He hadn't told Ciel. In fact, if he walked past her in his current outfit, she probably would not recognize him.

Harpuia and Leviathan mainly stayed at the capital headquarters or out exploring the newly flourished nature of the planet. They had never been ones to "frolic amidst the crowd," as Harpuia had put it when Zero suggested his idea to him. Leviathan was happy to finally have more time to spend with Harpuia. Since war had faded into the past, Harpuia wasn't training every hour like he used to; he had a lot of free time, and was more than eager to spend time with her as well.

Zero hadn't seen Ciel for a while. Once peace was obtained, she had to go about all of the business in terms of a government and peacekeeping. As for Ciel herself, she longed for the day that she could finally be done with all the work concerning reconstruction of the world itself, and get to know Zero so she may someday tell him how she feels.

This is where we continue our story,

Believe in Me

Pt. 3: Emotional Vengeance

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Zero walked the streets of New Age, continually pondering what he was going to do with himself in the prolonged era of peace ahead of him. He walked rather slowly, looking back and forth occasionally to see people and reploids living and working together.

_It's been a long time since I've seen humans and reploids interacting peacefully…… I wonder if there's a place for me in this new world at all…_

He turned a corner and passed by a shop; the owner, a girl with long brown hair, was atop a ladder, painting the sign to the shop. Zero made his way around the ladder and continued on his way. He was only a couple paces away when the ladder suddenly lost its hold on the ground and began to fall.

"EEEK!" The girl shrieked as she fell with the ladder.

Without even looking, Zero sprung backwards, putting himself into a position to catch her. She fell right into his arms.

"Oh… Ah…"

"Are you alright?"

"Ah… y-yes… thank you…" Zero put her down and continued on his way. The flustered shop owner watched his as he turned the next corner and went into her shop to sit down.

_Jeez… even with peace in effect it isn't going to stop people from hurting each other or themselves. _For some reason, an image of the girl he just rescued was sticking in his mind.

_Short… innocent looking… and semi long brown hair……_

Zero quickly shook his head. _No no no… I don't want to think about that right now. _Zero's random path eventually took him to an area where trucks were unloading humans who came to live in the city. Zero took this as an opportunity to change the subject on his mind. _So everybody is moving in… this city will expand quickly. _His eyes suddenly caught a guy that appeared to be in his early twenties. As he jumped down from the truck he was greeted by a girl that looked to be the same age. They were immediately in each other's arms; Zero realized that the two of them must have been separated for a while. They broke the hug and immediately kissed each other passionately. Zero kept watching, but quickly turned away. _Gah! Why are all these things getting to me!_

Zero walked in the opposite direction, perplexed at the thoughts that were prying at his sanity. _The war is over, yet… I'm dissatisfied… _Zero turned his thoughts back to the images he had witnessed, and began to dive deep into thought.

_Maybe… blocking it out isn't helping me at all… I guess I should go pay a visit… _Zero turned into an alley and made sure nobody could see him. He shed his disguise, returning to the crimson armor, and activated his rocket boosters, propelling him into the air. At the top of his ascent, he fixed his vision in a single direction and rocketed into the distance.

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…

…

Elsewhere…

"Alright… everything is set up… we have the city board… and you've been elected as the head… everything is set up so we can finally get started right?"

Ciel looked from her desk as she spoke, towards Guile, who stood by her door.

"Yes… everything is set up and we can finally officially start our new lives."

"The people voted for you almost unanimously Guile… I have a feeling that you're perfect to lead the government."

"No matter what happens though… you, Zero, and the resistance will always be known as the people who made this all possible..."

"Zero…" Ciel said silently to herself.

"Alright… we'll take over from here Ciel… you should really take some time off, you've been working non-stop…"

"Hm? Oh yes… maybe I should go back to the resistance headquarters outside the city for a couple of days… I haven't been there for a while… It's the only home I've ever really had…" Ciel looked down at her hands as she let out a light sigh.

"That seems like a good idea…"

"I don't see what the need is to keep the base though… I doubt military will be needed…"

"Well… it's always better to be safe then sorry."

"I guess… alright Guile I'll see you later then…" Ciel got up and walked to the transerver room.

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…

…

Back with Zero…

Zero suddenly came to a halt over a grassy field and landed softly on the ground. His eyes fixated on a rock that was placed atop a small hill. _It's still here…_

Zero approached the rock slowly and noticed purple flowers around the rock. _The flowers came back with nature as well…_

Zero knelt down and stared at the rock. He didn't take his eyes off of it. _Was I right to try and forget about all of the days long past that brought me such happiness, yet left me with unbearable sorrow?_

Zero closed his eyes and thought some more. The wind blew softly over the field, catching Zero's ponytail in the soft gusts. _It really has been a long time since I even thought about you…_

"Is that… the grave?" Zero did not turn as he heard the voice. A black reploid in a brown cloak approached him from behind.

"You know about this brother?" Zero asked Forte, who had obviously followed him. Zero figured that his brother spotted him and decided to follow.

Forte walked up beside his younger sibling. "I learned everything from a friend of mine who's lived and watched the world through many centuries. That includes who this grave is placed for."

"I see…" Zero turned his thoughts back to the grave. "I'm beginning to wonder if it was right to block all emotion… I never wanted to be crushed so emotionally again… but because of that… how many lives have I effected through that decision?"

"Think not of it… the choices we make throughout our live have their reasons behind them… I chose love over grudges… as did you…"

Zero picked a flower, placed it between some grooves in the stone, and stood up slowly. "I think I should go back to the resistance base."

"Zero."

Zero stopped and faced his brother.

"No matter what happens… never forget the lessons I taught you."

"I will make sure of it… they've gotten me this far and I don't intend on abandoning them; whether it be combat or life in general."

"Good… Farewell brother." Forte turned and blasted off into the distance. Zero took one last look at the rock before he too turned and flew off.

…

…

As Zero disappeared into the distance, a reploid appeared as if out of thin air. It approached the stone, trampling the flowers as it moved forward and stopped right in front of the stone. Slowly, it picked the flower out of the stone and held it in its hand.

"So… he was here…" The reploid stared at the flower. He closed the fist around the flower tightly with anger. "You will pay Zero… I will make sure you suffer greatly for what you have done… piece by piece I will make your life a living hell!"

The reploid disappeared instantly; the petals of the crushed flower slowly floated down and landed on the rock for a brief moment before the wind caught them and tossed the little flakes into the fields.

…

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…

…

Zero was irritated… he was having trouble flying straight because of all the thoughts pouring through his head. _Forget it… I'm pretty close anyway so I'll walk…_

Zero touched down on the grassy plain and began to walk slowly. So many things were occupying his mind that it was uncomfortable. _So much happened in those few years I knew her… why did it all have to turn out so badly?_

Zero suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked around.

_Odd… I swear I just heard something…_ He shrugged it off and continued to walk.

"…..Zero….." a whisper came from around him.

_Okay I defiantly heard that! What the hell is going on?_

"Zero……"

Zero looked in every direction. He quickly snapped his body around, just in case somebody was sneaking up on him; nobody.

_I'm just hearing things…_ Zero dismissed the feeling, but when he turned back in the direction he was going a figure stood in front of him about eight paces away.

"AAHH!" Zero jumped back.

It took him a moment to realize who he was looking at.

The reploid was white,

_No……_

He was taller than Zero was,

_No… no… it… it can't…_

His face was almost covered by his helmet,

_It isn't possible! IT ISN'T!_

He had the look of a soldier about him……

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"You're…………………Colonel…………"

---To Be Continued---

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UH OH! WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW! I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND O...oh wiat i'm writing it...

haaaaaaaa...welll football season is going nicely along with school. I'll do my best to keep writing as much as i can for all of those who have followed this story...

Thank you all for the great reviews so far!

Please read and Review this one too!

Flashgunner over and out!


	20. Deleterious Memories

Shoot... i haven't been able to update as frequently as i would like... in fact i'm being delayed so much that it's taking me overly long amounts of time to complete a single PAGE. But alas i shall perservere...

football season is over... it's a bit sad, but now i can finally rest my battered body. i ended the season with 15 touchdowns and 900some yards... so it was satisfactory.

i know some of you have been dying to read what happens next, and i apologize for the long waiting times, but there isn't much i can do about it... homework pile ups keep me from working on the weekdays, and planned events with my friends took up most of the past few weekends.

ANYWAY!!! here on this beautiful night i submit to this wonderful website, the 20th (YES 20!!!!) installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**emphasis**

(me talking)

enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 20: Deleterious memories

Zero was frozen in place… his body solidified as he stared at the reploid from a memory long suppressed. But suppressed no longer; images began to flow into Zero's head. Everything Zero had taken great care to forget was suddenly rushing right back in as if a dam had suddenly collapsed and doomed everything below. One image in particular made Zero's knees give way as a sharp mental pain pierced his thoughts, the image of an innocent looking girl with brown hair, wearing a blue and red dress.

"IRIS!!!!!!!!!!" yelled Zero, clutching his head fiercely as the memories pounded him into submission. After a moment of this Zero stopped; a silence filled the air with the small breeze blowing over the plains.

"What's the matter Zero? Is your past really that painful? You thought of my sister no doubt…"

Zero slowly raised his head to face his old rival.

"Iris will always be with me… forever… but you… You, Zero, have no right to even THINK about her!"

Zero rose to his feet. "Colonel... how… how are you alive?!?!"

"Ah yes… you left me for dead after we fought didn't you? Well… to put it quite simply… I survived despite the condition you left me in. all I could do was watch the coup take flight with you and my sister on board. I was consumed with rage… knowing I couldn't prevent you from reaching the ship was humiliating. I was carried to a repair center where I was taken care of for three weeks; when I awoke I learned that you foiled Repliforce's plan… and killed my sister in the process. I was so overcome with hatred… for you and all you had ruined that meant everything to me… especially Iris. I went into hiding… and survived through thick and thin… through every disaster the world has gone through… knowing that one day I would find you again… so that I may drive you into hell…"

"Why… Why Colonel… do you think I felt no remorse for the pain and deaths I caused during that fiasco? I killed many men that I had worked with in the past… and worst of all I had to kill the one I loved! Now you stand before me… with plans to drive it even deeper into my already tainted soul… WHY!?"

"I want you to feel pain just as I have… I want you to experience the feeling that comes with knowing there is nothing you can do to stop inevitable realities. I have planned attacks…"

Zero jumped to his feet, "NO! Colonel… leave innocents out of this! Your grudge is with me alone!"

"Didn't you hear me? I want you to know despair! I want you to go paranoid trying to prevent the unpreventable! I want the people around you to be effected during my revenge. It will be because of you that they get hurt… My comrades will attack selected targets for a day or two, and then I will give it eight days to sink in. All this will culminate at an attack upon the resistance base."

"Colonel! If it is revenge you seek then take it out on me! Involving innocents becomes murder! Iris would not wish for you to murder!"

Colonels expression suddenly changed to a picture of pure rage. "Don't you DARE speak about my sister! Never let her name spill from your mouth, or I will call everything off and reduce your precious city to a pile of ashes in a single night!"

There was a brief silence before either of them spoke again.

"But you re right Zero… my sister was never one for violence or commotion. So that's why I've got my comrades to help me. Five warriors that I've personally rebuilt; all of them have a little bone to pick with you. They will be the ones who carry out the attacks, and the one's who back me up when I attack the resistance base ten days from now. Heh… I look forward to it."

Colonel turned his back to zero and began to walk away, but Zero shouted to him, "Colonel! There must be a different way we can solve this! There must be some way for me to make amends for taking your sister from you… Answer me!"

Colonel stopped and faced Zero once again, "What can YOU do? Let's see… if you must have an answer, I'd say……… suffer." Colonel cocked a sinister grin as he turned and disappeared into thin air. He left Zero, emotionally battered.

Colonel had dug deep into Zero's mind, delving among his principles, prying into his recollections, and uncovering hidden memories and pains, like a treasure seeker poking around in a dark cavern. Zero suddenly perked up. _Oh no! The attacks!_

Zero immediately took off toward the resistance base and the city.

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…

…

At the resistance base…

Alouette was playing in the field right outside the resistance base. Te city could be seen in the distance, and Alouette was currently amused by an airship passing overhead towards the city. As she watched, a tall dark blue reploid with long silver hair approached her.

"Excuse me little lady…"

"Hm? Oh h-hello who are you?"

"Oh I'm just a stranger."

"Um… I'm not supposed to talk to strangers…"

"Don't worry about me…" The reploid drew a magenta colored saber. "I'm not here to talk…"

Alouette was so frightened that she couldn't move. She just closed her eyes and screamed. Zero came out of nowhere and rammed the reploid in the side, sending him to the ground. The reploid slowly picked himself up and brushed himself off.

"Hmph… you've always been too rough Zero…"

"Dynamo?!"

"That's right… I've come to take revenge on you for all the beatings you gave me back then. My target was this little girl…" Alouette shrank away in fear as she was mentioned.

"What an opportunity for me! Now I can kill you!"

"I don't have time to mess with you."

"Then I'll make it short and sweet!" Dynamo rushed at Zero brandishing a double sided magenta saber. There was a flash of light… followed by Dynamo feeling his body lift off his waist. "Wh-What?!?!?!" The two pieces of Dynamo fell to the ground.

"Your right… it was short and sweet…" commented Zero.

"Heh… I won't let you leave me like this! I'll still carry out my assignment!!" Dynamo began to shine yellow.

_He's self-destructing? No! Alouette! _Zero dashed towards Alouette and shielded her with his body. The explosion resonated through the air and alarms began to sound throughout the base. Zero got up slowly and made sure Alouette was okay. She was fine but she was so terrified that she wouldn't let go of Zero's arm.

"Mr. Zero… I'm scared…"

"It's alright… your safe now…"

An explosion suddenly rang forth from the city.

"What?! NO!" Zero took off at blinding speed leaving Alouette behind. She was still terrified by what had just happened.

"Alouette!!" Alouette turned to see Ciel run towards her. "What happened here?!"

"I… um… Mr. Zero……"

"Zero…?" Ciel saw smoke coming from the city "Oh my god! What's going on?!"

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"Argh!" Cerveau was knocked to the ground. He slowly tried to get up and moved away, but he was kicked, knocking him back down. A reploid with a plasma cannon mounted on his shoulder stood over him.

"Hmph… I got a small fry job…"

"Uhh… Help…Me…"

"Feh… worthless scum…" The plasma cannon on the reploids shoulder tilted downward and aimed at Cerveau's head. The cannon was charging, when it suddenly stopped; The reploid looked down the street and saw Zero coming.

"Oh… too bad… feel lucky I didn't get to kill you." The reploid teleported away and people began to come by and help Cerveau to his feet. Zero skidded to a stop in front of Cerveau.

"Cerveau! Are you alright?!"

"Yes… Argh… I'm fine…"

"Why… Colonel why?!"

"Colonel…?" Another explosion rang out.

"NO!!!" Zero was gone in an instant.

Block after block, Zero sped towards the location of the noise. He approached his destination, in time to see Leviathan flying through the air above him. A stocky looking reploid appeared behind her and hit her to the ground. The impact caused a minor shockwave to emit from the earth, leaving a small crater.

"Leviathan!"

"Uh… Zero…" the grip on her staff weakened and it slid out of her hand. Zero glared up at the reploid and rocketed towards him. The instant Zero reached him, he disappeared into thin air.

"Damn it!" Zero dropped down and helped Leviathan out of the crater and propped her back against a wall.

"This is Zero to resistance base… we have a situation here… I already have two wounded and more is happening… send medical teams at once… repeat send medical support immediately!"

A loud crashing sound, like the clashing of sabers, sounded from a bit further into the city.

"No no NO!" Zero left the scene in an instant.

As he arrived at the source of the sound he saw a tall purple reploid with a red saber fighting Harpuia. The reploid was extremely fast and Harpuia couldn't quite keep up. The building next to them was engulfed in flames.

Zero glanced back and forth at the building and at Harpuia.

"ARGH!!!!" Harpuia spiraled to the ground, leaving a trench as he skidded to a stop. He picked himself up and rocketed towards his mysterious opponent. An orange ring suddenly flew from the building and froze Harpuia in place. "Wha… I can't move!" Zero immidiatly sprung into the air towards Harpuia, but he was too late. A fireball made contact, knocking Harpuia free, but also sending him to terra firma once more. A gold reploid jumped from the burning building and headed for Harpuia. Zero stepped in front, drawing his saber, and swinging at the incoming threat. The reploid blocked it with a pink wrist blade and jumped back. Glancing at the purple reploid quickly, he moved out of Zero's range and the two teleported away.

"DAMN IT!"

Harpuia got to his feet quickly. "Zero… there are people in that building! Hurry we must help them!"

"What?!?! Oh no!"

The two of them made haste into the flaming architecture. They dashed in and out, in and out with people who were trapped inside.

"Harpuia! Get the higher floors!"

"Right!" Zero continued to whisk in and out of the building. As Harpuia flew up to evacuate the higher floors.

_This structure won't last much longer!! _Zero thought as he frantically kept his pace up, now making his last sweep of the fifth floor of the building. (10 floor building. Flash.)

"Zero! The top floors are clear!"

"I'm almost done here!!!" _Is anybody left?!?!"_

"Help!!!" Zero perked up and looked around until he saw a young man stuck under a fallen beam.

"Damn it!" Zero could feel the floor under his feet weaken as he made a break for the final trapped person. He threw the beam off of him and began to run out. The exit suddenly collapsed in front of them, but Harpuia flew up to a window near them.

"Here Zero!" Zero tossed the man to Harpuia, right before an explosion threw Harpuia away from the building with the man in tow, and threw Zero back into the building. The building's structure gave way and collapsed. Harpuia picked himself up off the ground and surveyed the rubble.

"Zero!"

Suddenly a pile of rubble flew into the air and Zero climbed out of the rubble.

"Phew… thought we lost you for a moment."

"I'm okay…" Zero and Harpuia carried the man over to the group of people that had just been saved. A young woman ran up to them.

"John! John!" She directed her words to the unconscious man. "Speak to me please!" she threw her arms around him as she began to tear up.

"He'll be okay… he's just unconscious…" Harpuia explained.

Zero suddenly recognized the two people. They were the two who were just reunited earlier that day… the two that made Zero decide to go visit the grave…

"Why…? We had just begun our new lives… and our home and everything we own is now gone! What did we do? Why must we suffer……?"

These words cut deep into Zero. He hung his head and began to walk off.

"Zero!" Zero stopped and turned to Harpuia. "What's going on Zero? Do you know what's happening…?" Zero didn't answer… he merely turned his back and kept walking. "Hey! Zero!" Zero ignored Harpuia and kept walking until he was out of site.

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…

…

…

"He just didn't answer me and walked off…" Harpuia finished explaining to Ciel and the rest.

"Do you think he's still walking back here?" Leviathan questioned.

"He didn't seem himself… so I wouldn't doubt it… anyway… he should be back soon." The conversation continued, but Ciel ceased to listen. She stared out the window of the meeting room at horizon as the sun was peeking over the curve of the earth.

_Zero… what's going on? I hope you're coming back here… we're here to help you… you should know that…_

"Ciel!" Everybody in the room turned to see Alouette in the doorway.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Mr. Zero! Mr. Zero is back…"

"Zero came back!?" Ciel's face lightened up, but Alouette didn't look as happy.

"Yes… he did… but…"

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…

Everybody watched Zero slowly walk into the base. Something was different about him though. His usual serious expression was gone… in its place was a look of pure sorrow and despair. Nobody spoke, in fact, nobody had anything to say. Nobody **knew **what to say to this unnatural sighting. Zero spoke not a word as he walked by all of them and disappeared around a corner down the hallway.

"Wha… I… I don't understand…" Leviathan began.

"It's like he's not even himself…" Harpuia commented.

They all stood in silence for another moment before Ciel spoke up.

"I… I will go talk to him…" Nobody replied, because everybody knew she was the only one who could talk to him.

Ciel positioned herself in front of the door to Zero's room. She blinked a couple times, sighed, and knocked on the door………

---To be continued---

* * *

Poor Zero... we all have things in our past that we would rather forget about... some are much worse than others.

Hoo boy... i can't give a good estimate of how long it will be till the next story... it may be one week (if i'm lucky) or it may be 3 or 4 again... but i hope it doesn't come to that.

Once again i want to thank everybody for all of the great reviews that you've been sending me.

please read and review!!!

Flashgunner over and out!


	21. Unfolding the Truth

Alright! i actually managed to get another chapter out within 2 weeks. The month of november is sweet at my school. we have a four day weekend for conferences, (right now) then we have a full week (blech) but then that is followed by thanksgiving weekend with is only a half day of school on wednesday followed by a four day weekend! So i'll have lots of time to write.

anyway more on topic... Here is the tewnty first installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

(me talking)

**Emphasis**

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 21: Unfolding the Truth

An empty corridor suddenly echoed with the noise of a door opening. A tall white reploid stepped through and continued on his path. As he came to another door he suddenly stopped.

"Please speak security code." Came a computerized voice from the door.

"Colonel 81089" replied the former Repliforce colonel. The door beeped and opened.

In the room their sat four reploids at a round table built for six. Colonel stepped into the room and shifted his gaze from side to side.

"Where's Dynamo?" questioned Colonel.

"Pretty boy tried to take on Zero." Replied the purple stocky reploid.

"That idiot… it doesn't really matter… he was getting on my nerves anyway. Alright, we hold off now until eight days from the present. We shall attack the resistance base on the eighth day. Until that day I have a special job for each of you."

Colonel paused for a moment to gather his thoughts then turned to the blue reploid with the shoulder cannon. "You… you go finish up whatever your 'project' is." Next he turned to the purple, stocky, reploid. "You, I want you to keep and eye on the resistance base, use your teleport skill to avoid detection." The short gold reploid was next. "I want you to patrol the city and, of course, use any means necessary to avoid detection." Finally, he turned to the tall purple reploid, "I want you to stay here… you'll help me with the attack plans… now then before we disperse I'm going to make one thing crystal clear for all of you… I rebuilt you all for one reason, to help me, not so you could get your own personal revenge… Only go for the kill if I order you to. If you try to kill Zero without my consent I will return you to the scrap pile piece by piece, unless Zero does it first, as shown to us so kindly by Dynamo… Now… get to it…

…

…

…

…

Back at the resistance base… nobody had moved since Ciel had left them. They still stood in the lobby, wondering what had caused such a drastic change in Zero. Harpuia suddenly turned and began walking down the hall. Leviathan followed him.

"Harpy… what's going on? Why have we suddenly been thrown into another conflict?"

"I don't know what to tell you Levi… The enemies we faced… they were different…"

"They were only attacking certain locations… very spread out locations."

"And they weren't aiming to kill us…"

"What?! How do you know?"

Harpy stopped in front of the training room.

"The reploid I fought was fighting so nonchalantly… I could see it in his eyes. Yet… he was so fast and strong…"

"I know what's on your mind… the training room right?"

"Yeah… we need to start training again so we can face these strange enemies. Are you with me?" Harpuia reached his hand out to her.

"Oh course Harpy." She took it and they entered the training room.

Elsewhere in the base…

Zero sat on his bed, the look of sorrow was still plastered to his face with no intention of coming off. A thousand Thoughts were crowding his mind, and an equal number of emotions were surging through him. He felt as though his world had broken like a china bowl and lay scattered around him in pieces.

He heard a knock at his door, but took no notice. He was lost, beaten, deracinated from his own being by an old foe who sought to pound him further and further into hell.

Another knock, still Zero found no will to reply. He was beyond vexed and perplexed. What would he do? He would have to fight in eight days, but he didn't even have the will to stand up and answer his door. He felt as though he was at the last inches of his rope.

This time there was not the sound of a knock, but the sound of the door opening, and somebody walking in. Zero didn't face the person, he didn't know who it was, but frankly he didn't care, he found that he was slowly loosing the determination to keep going. But then the person spoke.

"Zero…?" Ciel's voice caught his ear and his mind suddenly snapped from its current thoughts. "Zero…"

Zero took one look at Ciel, but instantly faced the other direction… he couldn't face her. He had lied to her… and he had kept it from everybody else. How would he be able to reveal such a deep dark secret to everyone, much less Ciel alone?

Ciel was as confused as Zero was. She had no idea what to say or how to approach this matter… this was a side of Zero that nobody had ever seen before. When he was serious you would just talk to him and he would give a straight forward reply, but how was she supposed to talk to him now? She didn't know if it was the best idea, but she had to say something so she did.

"Zero… I… We know something is wrong…" She paused to see if he would move, but he didn't. "But… I won't make you tell me… Seeing you like this is so painful, so if you wish not to tell me about it you don't have to… but we're still here for you…" Zero still didn't move. She sighed and turned to leave, but she heard Zero get up.

"No… I'm not going to leave everybody in the dark any longer… please… there are things we need to talk about…"

He walked to the door with her and they exited the room.

The two of them walked down the hallway as they began to talk. "…I wasn't able to stop my friends and other people from being hurt last night… it was mortifying… I was powerless. Because of me people not only close to me, but people close to you, and other people who have just begun their new lives were hurt."

"But who would do such a thing?"

"I recognized all the reploids who were attacking; they were all enemies from my past."

They came to the training room and saw Harpuia and Leviathan sparring. Cerveau, Alouette and Crtoire were also in the room. Cerveau, was trying to fix the control panels for the training programs as Crioire tended to the wounds he had received the day before, Alouette was trying to assist Cerveau in any way she could.

Zero stopped and walked into the room.

"Harpuia has already figured it out… he knows an enemy is in the shadows and has begun training right away… Leviathan of course followed…"

Ciel came up beside Zero, "Harpuia is like that… he has become one who is always striving to improve himself so he can help you, Leviathan, the resistance, all the humans, and himself."

"That's true, Harpuia may be one to speed ahead and always put himself at risk for the sake of others, but he won't make the same mistakes that I did… Not only you, but Harpuia and the rest sense danger coming… should everyone be told...?" Zero closed his eyes and slumped against the wall.

Ciel looked at Zero for a second, and then somehow brought herself to so what she did next. She moved towards Zero and held out her hand to him.

"Before you do that… how are your injuries?" Zero was surprised by Ciel's unusual forwardness. "You came back yesterday covered in cuts and bruises and you still haven't seen anybody about it. How about you have Cerveau or Croire take a look at you?"

Zero smiled and closed his eyes again. "Thank you… Ciel…" Suddenly he reached up and grabbed Ciel's wrist.

"Zero…?"

He looked at Harpuia and Leviathan, "That sweat…" He turned to Cerveau, "Those wounds…" he looked back at Ciel's arm, "And this warmth… are not illusions… they're all real… We need to focus on preserving tangible reality, not the intangible illusions…"

Everybody stopped and looked at Zero.

"There is something I've been keeping secret from all of you… something you now all need to hear… About the upcoming battle and its beginnings… first let's find a suitable place to sit and talk…"

Everybody moved outside to a little lounge area had been set up, with benches and roofed off areas for shade.

"Alright…" Zero began. "Before the attacks yesterday, as I was returning home, I ran into the mastermind behind the attacks that would occur. Eight days from now the base will be under attack by him and his lackeys…" Zero paused, building up the courage to say what came next. "The mastermind is a reploid named Colonel, the colonel of the Repliforce that existed centuries ago. He was also my archrival… almost every time we met it turned into a duel. It was all for sport of course… but it was the Maverick Hunter's best swordsman versus the Repliforce's best swordsman so it was always a challenge to see who was the strongest, but this is irrelevant to why he is attacking. The reason is…" Zero paused once again.

…

…

…

…

…

"His sister… Iris…" Ciel perked up. "Iris… was the only girl I had ever loved… And she was killed by these very hands…"

They were all shocked to here this but nobody was as shocked as Ciel...

"This is a story of centuries in the past… and the story of the pain carved deep into my heart and soul……Let me tell you a story………"

--To be continued--

* * *

I apologize for the minor case of shortness in this chapter... i had to make it flow into the flashback story, and the events beforehand didn't cover as many pages as i thought it would.

oh wow another flash back story! this one, you will find, will be a little different from the way Forte's story was done.

For those of you that have noticed and are wondering, yes this part of the story is loosely based off the final story in Rurouni Kenshin. It is where i got the whole Colonel revenge for Iris idea from.

anyway, seeing as how i have a lot of free time this weekend and the next few weeks i will be able to write more often. Basketball season is starting soon though, so i'll try to work as hard as i can until then.

As always, i'd like to thank everybody who has reviewed my story, it is greatly appreciated.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	22. Days Long Past pt 1

Yikes... school is taking up way to much of my time, along with basketball now... aye aye...

anyway, i'm hoping to crank out another chapter by sunday... it being thanksgiving break and all.

But lets get to the point, here is the twenty-second installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 22: Days Long Past pt. 1

(The next few chapters are going to be Zero's tragic story in his past. It will be told in first person.)

This fiasco all began on a day I shall never forget. I had been called to Maverick Hunter headquarters for an important mission. I reported on time as usual. On my way to the briefing room I passed a group of female hunters.

(whispering) "Oh my god it's Zero!"

"Zero? Where?!"

"He just walked right by you!!"

"What?!?!"

This was typical during my days in the Maverick Hunters. The ladies always went wild when I was around, but this is beside the point.

I was arrogant.

"Hiya Zero!" the girls yelled in unison. Naturally I cocked a smile and winked back at them, making them melt. Being cocky and a ladies man may not sound much like me but I assure you that this is I of whom I speak.

I strutted over to the meeting room and took my place next to X who sighed in dismay as he watched me saunter in. there were six of us there, including X and I. Our commander, Signas, walked to the podium and began briefing us.

"Alright… you've all summoned you here for a very important mission, the military known as Repliforce, has recently taken down a major maverick compound. They are already handling the cleaning process, but I want you six to head down there and make sure everything goes smoothly. I'm sure you all know how to handle maverick evidence better than they do anyway. I've already contacted General and he knows you'll be coming, so hopefully there will be no commotion…"

He glared at me as the last word left his lips. I just played it cool and acted like I hadn't noticed.

"You head out in two hours… dismissed."

We got up from our chairs and left the room one by one, but…

"Zero." I turned and faced commander Signas.

"Sir?" I created a façade of seriousness. He saw right through it.

"Don't give me that. Remember that this is a mission and **not** a time for you and Colonel to beat on each other. You can rough house on your free time, but today you represent the Maverick Hunters."

I sighed, "Yes sir…"

"Good." He turned and went through a back door to his office.

"Crap."

…

…

…

The two hours had passed, and before I knew it I was on the transport to the site.

We arrived at the location, presented ourselves to the overseer, and began working right away. It was boring, to me anyway. The only thing that ever satisfied me was a good brawl; this was just busy work.

"Excuse me?"

I popped out of my daydream and saw a worker in front of me. "Yes."

"I need your opinion on some of these materials I found."

After a heavy sigh I replied, "Alright…"

Work. Work. Work. I hated it so much, that when I finally saw Colonel, my hand went for my saber immediately. Alas, I remembered what Signas had said and quickly forced my hand away from my weapon. I **did, **however, keep an eye on Colonel, just in case he tried anything.

I toiled away at the excruciatingly boring work for another hour or so before finally taking a break. I spotted a short brunette girl with long hair, sporting red and blue casual clothes; she was carrying a pile of assorted junk and she suddenly dropped half of it right in front of me.

"Oh… darn."

"Ah… here…" I bent down and picked up the pieces for her, setting them on top of her pile.

"Thank you." She turned her face toward me and smiled. I must've seen shot through the heart with an arrow, because the minute I glanced upon her beautiful features, I had come to the conclusion that I had never seen a more attractive girl before in my life.

By the time I had come to my senses, she had already carried on. "Damn! Well… I'll probably see her again as we work…"

So we did continue to work, but I didn't see the girl. We finished up our work and were about to head home, when I remembered something that Signas had said.

"You can rough house on your free time…"

_Free time eh? _I thought to myself. I really didn't have anything to do once I got home, so I decided to seek out Colonel and pick a fight. As I walked up and down the now much quieter work site, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a girl running around a corner. _Was that her?_ I wasted no time closing in on the corner and peeked around.

As I peeked around I quickly drew my saber to block a blow to my head. Colonel was right around the corner, and I almost hadn't noticed him in time. We took a couple swings at each other, and then dead locked our sabers together.

"A sneaky approach Colonel? You must be getting wet behind the ears!"

"I wouldn't talk… I almost took your head off!" We again began hacking away at each other, sparks flying as our sabers clashed again and again.

This wasn't anything out of the ordinary for either of us. In fact this how things would turn out every single time we met.

We continued for another minute or two until I knocked him down and ended the duel.

"I win."

"Feh."

"Looks like I extend my lead to eight wins and four losses."

"Brother!" That voice, I knew I had heard it before. It was the brunette girl. She ran in between me a Colonel. "Stop hurting my brother!"

"Brother?" I wasn't expecting this at all. Colonel got up and brushed himself off.

"No cause for alarm Iris…I duel with this imbecile frequently."

"Duel? Oh… thank goodness, it didn't look like a simple duel from where I was watching…"

"I would hardly call our bouts 'simple duels'. I guess since you're here now I might as well introduce you." Colonel faced me. "Zero this is my sister Iris. Iris, this is Zero, the S ranked Maverick Hunter and my rival swordsman."

"Pleased to meet you Zero…"

"Uh… yeah… nice to meet you." I was speechless… there is something cruel about the irony that makes your rival's sister extremely beautiful. Colonel broke my train of thought.

"Alright… we'd best be on our way Iris… we need to report to General… until next time Zero!"

"Good bye!" Iris called back as she walked off behind her brother.

I watched as they disappeared. I couldn't believe it. Never before had I been so infatuated with a single girl. I was always the arrogant ladies-man that sucked up the attention given, but there was something much different about Iris and I couldn't take my mind off of it.

_No… it couldn't be love could it? Of course not I only met her a few hours ago… but, I can't explain, much less understand why I feel this way right now… maybe I am falling into the hands of love…_

I never thought that I, the great S class Maverick Hunter, could be so easily puzzled by a single emotion. The more I thought about it, the more I came to the same conclusion: wait until you have a chance to meet her again and/or talk to her, maybe then I would be able to figure out what is going on.

As mentioned before, waiting was not one of my strong points back then. As the days droned on, I found myself being more and more uneasy about the whole situation, so much that my teammates began to question my current odd behaviors. Whenever they did I would respond by saying that I was simply a little tired out from a heavy work load I'd been having lately. This excuse would only work for so long though, so I needed to figure out what I was going to do and fast. Then an idea came to me, the job request boards. Despite what I had told everyone, I'd been having a rather light workload lately. _Maybe I can find a job request from somebody at the Repliforce base, and then I'll have an excuse to go over there… I just hope she lives there with her brother…_

I made my way down to the lobby of the base as quickly and as casually as I possibly could and positioned myself in front of a public terminal. I accessed the request board and eagerly scrolled through the options. Nothing.

My hopes fell and I was just about to sign off when… Ping

I quickly averted my eyes back to the list and looked at the top. With the bright red letters spelling out 'New' in front of it, a request read, 'Looking for a Maverick Hunter to interview about the relations between Repliforce and the Maverick Hunters. Meeting location: Repliforce headquarters meeting room 1400. Date: May 18, 22XX'. (Two days from now).

_Yes! _I quickly clicked accept and typed in my Maverick Hunter Id number. Now all I had to do was bide my time… Again, I hated waiting, but the day came eventually and I found myself on a public transport en route to Repliforce headquarters. As usual, people murmured in the background, probably about me. I was well known, so I never really could go anywhere without people noticing. Even when I didn't wear my armor people would still recognize me.

The transport stopped in front of the base, I quickly stepped out, and made my way into the base. I was greeted by the secretary at the front desk.

"Ah! You're the Maverick Hunter here for the interview right?"

"Yes."

"I already know you're Zero…" She wrote down my name on a visitor list. "Meeting room 1400 is down that hall on the left." She pointed her finger towards a hall on her right.

"Thank you."

I found the room and entered. It wasn't a very big room… it had two tables that could sit four people each. I sat down at one of these tables and began thinking about how I would find Iris after I got this interview over with.

The door opened.

_Alright… time to do this and go find her. _

"Zero?"

That voice…

I turned around…

It was her…

--To be continued--

* * *

Alright... yes.. yes.. i know it was rather short, but i need to make the story flow and these ideas of mine have been filling up less space than i thought. hopefully the next part will be longer. (i hope at least... i don't want you guys to think i'm short changing you...)

My plan for this portion was to break up this flashback sequence into either three or four parts. Forte's story was meant to be only one chapter, but it ended up being my longest chapter tipping the scales at close to 6000 words. (thats a lot for me...i know FoxMC could crank out tens of thousands of words per chapter... but at the speed i think and write... that would take me months.)

Once again i humbly thank all my reviewers, new and old.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	23. Days Long Past pt 2

alright i've completed this chapter in between exams. As you've probably guessed from what i just said, i'm having finals for school right now, once their over i'll be writing away over winter break.

first i want to apologize to my readers, latelty i've felt as though i've short changed all of you by following up long submission gaps with short chapters. i'm sorry about this and plan to fix this problem starting with this new chapter.

to the chase we cut! Here is the 23rd installment of Believe in Me!

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 23: Days long past pt. 2

It definitely was not what I expected. But because of that, I wasn't sure where to go next.

"I wasn't expecting you Zero…"

It was ironic, completely so. I fumbled through ideas on how to handle this situation while she got settled.

"I hope you won't base your answers on your rivalry with my brother…"

That's it! "Oh! No of course not… I'm well aware of the relations between the Maverick Hunters and Repliforce."

"Ok good… let's begin."

I came to the conclusion to go along with the interview, but I wasn't so sure what was going to happen afterward. I accomplished my self-proclaimed mission to find her, but I hadn't given the slightest bit of thought towards what to do next.

"Alright, first question… Lately Repliforce has been engaging in more anti-maverick activities beside their normal function to ward off military threats, what is your take on this?"

I answered quickly so not to make it obvious I was staring at her, "Oh we see nothing wrong with it, we humbly accept their help. The larger number we have against the Mavericks the better."

She wrote something in her little notebook. "Ok… Question two…"

I was having a lot of trouble focusing. She looked different from when I last saw her. This time she wore a red and blue dress and had a little red barrette upon her head. Her long brown hair was fully down now, last time she had half in a pony tail.

"Um… Zero?"

"Oh! Sorry could you repeat the question?" I mentally slapped myself. _Good going numbskull, don't forget who you're trying to impress here. _

She giggled softly, which made my face turn a little red, "Don't fall asleep now. Alright, Question two again… What is the current status between Repliforce and The Maverick Hunters?"

"It has been neutral for a while, but it's on the edge of becoming allies."

"That's good to hear." She penned something into her notebook again and looked back to her question sheet. "Question three."

This time I made sure not to drone off. It was challenging though, my concentration was waning due to her.

"If Repliforce were to engage a massive maverick threat, what would be the first course of action the Maverick Hunters take?"

I answered a split second after she finished, perhaps from paranoia of being caught off guard by her again. "We would probably meet with general first, and depending on his outlook of the situation, act accordingly, so as not to interfere with their affairs."

After briefly writing in her notebook once more, she set everything down and faced me. "Alright that's all the questions I have, thank you very much."

"Y-your welcome…"

"I just have one thing I'd like to ask, this is more of a personal question."

_Personal? _"Ok…go ahead."

"Why do you and my brother fight so much?"

My mind began to wander through answers, trying to find one that would answer the question and not sound crude. "Well… it's kind of a… friendly rivalry… thing. He's the best swordsman of Repliforce, and I'm the best swordsman of the Maverick Hunters, so I guess our thirst for competition brought on confrontation."

"When was the first time you two fought?"

"Uh… we mistook each other for Mavericks when I was on a scout mission in the jungle, and just started fighting. I had never met anyone who could keep up with me and apparently neither had he, so when we figured out that neither of us were Mavericks, it sort of just became a rivalry. Maybe it was because neither of us had ever had as much as we did when we fought."

"So it's never to injure the other?"

"No. if one of us gets pinned or knocked over, it ends there.

"Ok good. Well thanks again."

I wanted to talk to her more, but nothing came to mind. I was stuck, solitified in place as I watched her exit the room.

"Damn."

Seeing how my "mission" was only half a success, I decided to leave it at that and head back to the base.

As I walked through the halls of the Repliforce base, my thoughts scanned over what had just happened and what I had told her, in hopes of finding something significant that could mean something for me in terms of her, but nothing was salvaged. So I deemed my mission to be a failure.

It was at that time a sudden explosion rocked the base. An alarm sounded throughout the corridors.

"WARNING. WARNING. INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT."

I quickly drew my saber and ran through the hallway to the lobby as quickly as I could.

When I arrived at the lobby I saw three reploids facing Colonel, who too had his saber drawn.

"Hyaaaaaaa!!!!" Colonel burst forward and swung at the one on the left. He drew a blue saber and parried him. "What?!" The other two also drew sabers. They began attacking Colonel, pushing back further and further until he was nearing the wall. I dashed toward them, positioned myself next to Colonel and began returning the blows. We only exchanged a quick glance, nothing was said. Together we were able counter the charge the Mavericks had taken and began pushing them back. After a moment, the three jumped backward and faced us.

"Look out, their up to something…" Colonel warned.

"I think their… forming together!" I responded. Indeed, the three had merged in a bright light and there stood one Maverick with two swords and stronger armor.

It came at us with tremendous speed; neither of us was ready for such an improvement. I jumped and Colonel ducked as it tried to cut us in half. I came from above and Colonel came from below, but it parried both attacks, one with each saber. It then spun around and knocked us in different directions.

"Colonel! Use short, quick attacks! We might be able to find an opening!"

"Right!" We launched attacks from both sides, but neither were having the planned effect. I circled around, hoping that two attackers from the same direction would have a better chance, but to no avail. I found myself skidding to a stop on the ground a good twenty yards from the Maverick. I quickly got up and went back at it. As I approached, Colonel was knocked back towards me. As he flew passed, He handed me his saber. I charged forward, a saber in each hand and began to press an attack. As we exchanged blows, an idea came to my mind. I slashed horizontally to break the Maverick's guard. Naturally, I brought the saber right back, but I parried it off to the side. I did the same on the other side, leaving its body wide open. I jumped up and kicked off of its face, knocking it back a bit. As I gracefully flipped through the air, I noticed Colonel charging. I let go of his saber and let it fall towards the ground, Colonel grabbed it out of the air as he came forward and began slashing the dizzy Maverick. I touched down and surged forward, joining Colonel in the attack. We hacked away at the helpless enemy and followed up the attack with a simultaneous punch that knocked it onto one knee. We came from both sides, and slashed through it so that our sabers were in an X shape as we stood over the cut up body.

A bright light flashed and the three Mavericks appeared; two of them were destroyed. The one that was left looked back and forth at us before turning and running further into the base.

"Oh no! We got to stop him before he hurt anyone in the base!" Colonel yelled as he went after him. I followed close behind. We came to a fork in the hall.

"Let's split up! It's only one so it won't be a problem if we are alone."

So we went different ways. After searching I came upon a door that was broken in. I entered it and saw the Maverick, but… He had cornered Iris!

"Zero! Help!"

The Maverick saw me, then quickly grabbed Iris and held his sword to her throat. She was being used as a hostage. It didn't matter; I'd been faced with these circumstances in the past. In an instant I called my arm cannon and fired a standard blast that went right past Iris' head and completely pulverized the Maverick's. It fell to the ground, motionless. I was feeling pretty good, having saved Iris and all, but then she fell to the ground and didn't move.

"What?!" I ran toward her and turned her over. I flipped my scanner visor on and read her vital readings. Colonel burst into the room.

"Iris?!?! What happened?!"

"She's… She's been infected!!!"

"What?!?!"

"Has the Repliforce issued the newest anti-Maverick vaccine yet?!"

"No… Our batch was arriving tomorrow!"

"Shit! We have to get her to a Maverick Hunter outpost now!"

I picked her up and ran out of the room, Colonel followed me. We ran out of the base and quickly mounted a pair of hover bikes that were waiting outside. After driving for a minute, we arrived at the outpost and burst in.

"We have a critical situation! I need a virus deletion team right now!" A few medics quickly led us into an operating room with equipment used for ridding a Reploid's system of viruses.

The procedure started and Colonel and I watched from a distance. Everything was running smoothly and we were about to breath a sigh of relief, when suddenly the lights went out and the equipment stopped.

"What's going on?!" Colonel furiously questioned.

"Something must be wrong in the generator room! Zero, go Check out what's wrong! Hurry! She won't last another two minutes if we don't help her!"

I wasted no time in following the doctor's direction. I jumped down the flights of stairs and found myself in the basement where the generator sat. An employee stood there tinkering with a power cell.

"Why did you take that out?! There's an operation going on up there!"

He turned and faced me. "This power cell short circuited! It won't be of any use now! We need a new one!"

"Where are they?!"

"Their hidden to avoid being stolen! It's too complicated to explain where they are I'll go get one!"

"Hurry!" He left. The clock was ticking, and I began to sweat as I noticed he was taking too long.

_At this rate Iris won't make it! I've got to do something! _I didn't really think about what I did next before doing it, in fact it could have killed me, but there was no way I was going to let Iris die.

I thrust my hand into the machine and pulled out the power cord that connected to the power cells. I thrust it through my armor and into my arm so it tangled with my energy canals. I took a deep breath and began to charge up my power. The lights slowly turned back on as my energy flowed into the generator and I continued to power up knowing that this was the only way to save her. I began to get dizzy and my energy started to fade. I began to feel weary and weak and could hardly stand. I was about to faint when I heard through my radio.

"Zero! The procedure was a success she's alright!" I sighed and smiled. I had done it. I stopped powering up and fell onto my knees. As I began to black out and fall to the floor the only thing I heard was the doctor yelling, "Zero? Zero?! ..."

…

…

…

…

…

When I opened my eyes I was in my room back at the Maverick Hunter main base in the dormitories. I picked myself up out of the bed slowly. My armor had been removed and I was only wearing my black under suit. As I moved my head felt like it was wobbling, I put my hand to my forehead and tried to center my vision. As I finally regained my equilibrium I got to my feet and switched my armor back on. I didn't know how long I was out for, but I had to report, so I walked out of the room. As I headed to the command center I passed many reploids and people that acknowledged me and said things like, "Oh you woke up." Or, "Hey welcome back!" Just how long was I out for? When I made it to the center I was greeted by X.

"Zero you finally woke up! You were beginning to worry all of us."

"How long was I out for?" I didn't waste any time in asking.

"Three weeks."

"Whoa…" I put my hand to my head again. I was still a little dizzy.

"You ok Zero?" Alia, our navigator, asked with concern.

"I'm fine…"

"You shouldn't be so reckless Zero." Began Douglass, our head mechanic. "Expending as much energy as you did can easily kill you."

"I had no other choice… Iris would have become a Maverick if I hadn't."

"Oh yeah!" X suddenly said as he walked over to the data computer. "Iris went to make a full recovery and is back to work at the Repliforce base. X pulled a holo-disk out of the computer. She sent us this message.

"What does it say?"

"Search me… she told us to only let you read it."

So I took the disk and left the command center; I went all the way back to my room in the dormitories. As I sat down on my bed, I flipped the disk on. A message popped up in the image:

Zero,

When you've awakened please let me know, I wish to see you.

Iris

This made me feel better. A lot better. I hopped onto my personal computer and sent a message to the return address on the disk file.

The next day I received a response from her. We were to meet each other in the city park the next day. So the day went by slowly.

…

…

…

…

Very slowly.

Then the next day finally came.

To avoid a mob of people I dressed in casual clothes, a red short sleeve shirt and some jeans with my hair still in the pony tail. I exited the building and boarded a transport to the park. As I sat alone in the car I began to ponder what I was going to say to her, but after a minute or two of nothing coming to mind, I decided to just act on instinct. The transport came to a stop at the park and I got off. When I arrived at the designated meeting spot, a bench under a tree a good ways into the park, I looked around and noticed that I had arrived a little early. So I sat, and waited. I was a little nervous, worried that I would not be able to think straight and make a fool of myself again.

"Zero?"

That voice… she was here. I slowly faced in the direction of the sweet tone. There she stood. She wore a white tank top over a blue short sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Her long, brown hair was completely down and flowing in the breeze.

She moved towards the bench and sat down next to me. Not right up against me though. She just looked just as nervous as I was.

"Hey." I said in return.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still a little dizzy, but I'll be fine."

"That's good to hear…" she talked as if she was guilty of something.

"What's been happening since I've been out?"

"Oh, nothing really, just a clean up job in the base, which X helped with, but besides that, nothing has happened." I knew something was bothering her… I hesitated to ask at first, but I built up my courage and let fly.

"What's wrong? You seem down…"

She didn't answer for a moment, but I didn't mind. I let her take her time.

"I'm… sorry… about what… about what happened… to you." She choked out the words. It almost sounded as if she was going to cry. I didn't know what to say. "You almost died… and it's because of me… I felt awful about what you had to do keep the equipment running." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry…" I couldn't stand it any more… I had to say something.

"Iris…" She looked at me and I looked into her beautiful green eyes. "I don't regret my decision one bit." She kept staring straight at me as I continued. "I did it because I wanted to save you, not out of a sense of duty and not just because I wanted to delete the virus in you. I did because I wanted to save **you."**

"But… but why? I'm nothing special… I'm just a data collecting reploid…"

"Don't say that…"

"What?"

"You're more than just a data reploid. I don't think anything could replace you. Nothing could replace you as a sister to Colonel, and nothing could replace you as a friend to me." I could've said more… I wanted to say more, but it was too early for anything like that. As good as a moment this was, I still hadn't known her long enough to go further. I assumed that my words cheered her up because she wasn't crying anymore. Instead she had her beautiful smile.

"Thank you Zero… I hadn't thought about it that way…" She wiped the tears from her face.

"Well it's good that we cleared that up."

"Yes… we should talk more often."

"Yes we should." I answered rather quickly.

She got up. "I guess I'll head back home then. Thank you for talking to me."

"Any time." After my response, she turned to leave, but she stopped suddenly. She turned around and faced me again.

"I guess I can rephrase my thanks then…"

She bent down and planted a small kiss on my left cheek.

"Thank you for risking your life for me… you make me feel… significant." She turned and walked away.

I sat staring forward. _She kissed me. Maybe I do have a chance after all?_

I headed back to the base feeling pretty good about myself, little did I realize that a catastrophe was about to take place.

---To be continued---

* * *

Ah the flashback continues... into the depths of Megaman X4 as of next chapter. 

there were a small number of reviews for the last chapter, i'm not angry or anything, in fact some peoples reviews might not have made it through due to having server problems right after i submitted it.

Anyway, thank you to all who read and review.

please read and review this one too! )

Flashgunner over and out!


	24. Days Long Past pt 3

Before anybody asks, i've been having internet problems. i've had this chapter done since christmas, but i havent been able to connect. AND MY GOD i've realised how boring life can be with out teh trusty Intraweb.

on to the optimistic stuff. Because of this etra time i added more to the chapter by adding three extra scenes... you'll find them at the end of the chapter.

This is the twenty-fourth (wow gettin up there eh?) installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in Me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 24: Days long past pt. 3

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY!

I slowly picked myself up out of bed, holding my head as the alarm blared throughout the dormitories. I had been having a reoccurring dream that never made any sense. I didn't realize it then, but those dreams were the key to discovering my clouded past.

"That same dream… again…" I quickly dismissed the thought, switched on my armor, and ran out of the room.

I made it to the bustling command center right as Signas was issuing the order.

"The Sky Lagoon space colony is being attacked by an alarming number of Mavericks! The cause seems to be at the colony's core. I want all units to board the colony and fight off the threat while Unit Zero attacks the enemy at the core! Go to it!"

We all uploaded our teleport coordinates and took off in a rainbow of lights.

My team landed a quarter mile away from the core. I gave the order to secure a perimeter and my comrades dispersed. I made a break for the core. I broke through line after line of mavericks, hacking and cutting my way through their defenses. As I was blazing a trail I suddenly noticed a Repliforce ship take off in the distance.

_What? _My thoughts were interrupted by a large green Maverick with wings that nearly took my head off as it swooped down. It began firing plasma blasts at me. I reflected a few, but remembered my objective and continued toward the core, occasionally reflecting a blast. I soon found myself in front of the core building. Right before I could enter there was a loud crash followed by many explosions that would not cease.

"What's going on?!" I shouted as I broke the door down and burst into the room. There I saw a Maverick Hunter! But it wasn't from my unit. It was Magma Dragoon. "Dragoon?! What are you doing here? You're a member of the 14th unit!" As much as I wanted an explanation, my focus was drawn to the sudden shaking and debris falling.

"Zero! This doesn't look good! That giant Maverick crushed the core!"

"But without the core's power… the whole colony will fall to the earth!"

"I tried to stop it, but it was too strong… I'm sorry Zero, but there's nothing we can do to avert this disaster! We're all pulling out! You should do the same too!" He teleported away, leaving me alone in the collapsing core room.

I quickly radioed the retreat signal to the rest of my team and made my own escape mere seconds before the collision. When I was released from the teleport beam I found myself in the city, only it had been leveled and ravaged beyond any hope of reconstruction.

"No… billions of people…… the rest of my team beamed down beside me."

"Sir… your order?" I turned to my team.

"Spread out and look for survivors! On the double!" we all went our separate ways.

The Mavericks had found their way into the wrecked the city and continued to cause more damage. I whisked past groups, leaving nothing left behind me but sliced up enemies as I flew by. I pulled people out of wreckages and debris, sending them to a Maverick Hunter base a few hundred miles outside the city via teleport. I had rescued a good thirty-two people, when I spotted something familiar.

"IRIS!" I closed the distance between us in an instant and knelt beside her. "Iris! Iris!" I propped her back on my arm and shook her gently. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Ze…Zero…?"

"Yes Iris it's me!"

"Did… you… come to save… me…?"

"Yes don't worry… I'll get you out of here!"

I spoke too soon. There was a loud crash behind me. I turned toward the noise. I found myself face to face with the large Maverick that destroyed the Sky Lagoon. I picked up Iris and put her against a wall so she could lean her back on it. As I walked towards the Maverick several emotions were welling up inside of me I was angry, enraged, and livid. Any word that pertained to anger could describe me at the moment. I had failed to save billions of lives, and the reason stood before me. The Maverick raised a giant palm into the air and thrust it down upon me with great force. It hit me with a loud crash that rocked the ground. But, as the beast soon realized, his attempt to crush me was a failure. I had stopped his giant hand by merely meeting it with my hand. I pushed upward, making its hand fly upward. Clutching my saber tightly I yelled,

"This is for all those you hurt and killed!!!!!!!!!!"

I burst forward and, in a blinding flash of light, sliced the massive beast right in two. There was only the sound of the halves falling to the ground, followed by the explosion of its core. I walked back over to Iris.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little beaten up but that's it…"

"Here let me help you." I bent down and helped her up.

"Whoa… I can't really walk… maybe I'm in worse shape… than… I…" she slumped into my arms. I was alarmed at first, but her face looked peaceful. After I scanned her energy levels I found that she was just fine. The feeling of relief swept over me.

"She's been through a lot in such a short time… she's probably exhausted."

Out of nowhere Colonel teleported in.

"Iris!" he ran towards me.

"Don't worry she's fine… I just saved her."

"Oh thank you Zero I owe you one…"

I reluctantly handed Iris to her brother. As he radioed to the Repliforce base, I remembered what I saw before.

"Colonel, I want to ask you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Before when I was attacking the Mavericks… I saw a Repliforce attack vessel take off from the colony."

"What? I heard of no such transactions…"

"Why are you here now?"

"I brought a team here right after we heard about the crash to aid the search for survivors… I only came this far to find Iris."

I stood, pondering for a second or two. His explanation was believable, but something wasn't right, I could feel it.

"Nevertheless, I want you and your troops to disarm and come with me."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry, but this is only standard Maverick Hunter procedure… it's for your own good."

"Repliforce will **NEVER** lay down arms, no matter what the reason!"

"Colonel! Listen to me! If you refuse then repliforce will be under Maverick Hunter watch… then if anything else happens that reinforces the suspicion you could be labeled as Mavericks!"

"So be it! You Hunters and your daft ways are annoying! Call us what you will… I refuse to drop weapons and be lead along like sheep to a slaughter house!" With that he disappeared with Iris.

I didn't like how things were going. I had to file a report, and leaving details out, if found out, can get my leadership privileges revoked. The big question that was glued to by brain was, 'What now?'

I took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh before activating my teleport system and flying off in a beam of red light.

…

…

…

…

…

I entered the control room the next day to find X, Signas, and Alia, along with a few others watching the main monitor. General, of Repliforce, was giving a world wide speech.

"Greetings to all humans and reploids, this is General of repliforce. We have constantly strived to aid humanity and reploids alike only to be labeled as Mavericks under suspicion that has little evidence. If our services to this world are to be shot down so bluntly then we shall take action. Hear me my fellow reploids! It is time we broke free from human influence and created our new world, where none can accuse or oppress. Where justice may be upheld through reploid means at all times. We will begin preparations at once; all who are with us may come as they please, but those against us, better stay out of our way. That is all I have to say. Choose wisely, and farewell."

There was a cold silence among us for a few moments after the screen had gone black. Stay out of their way? Did that mean they were going to do whatever it takes to complete this goal?

"Well… now what?" questioned X. Well all faced Signas. We could tell by the look on his face that he was having trouble cycling through options.

"We'll wait." All of us had the look of confusion, so he saved us the trouble of asking. "We will only take action if necessary. Repliforce has every right to carry out this process as long as they keep it to themselves. If they overstep their boundaries we will to step in. If we have to step in, I hope it doesn't become violent… we could start a war if we're not careful."

"Zero!" We were all taken by surprise by this sudden shouting of my name. But I could tell who it was immediately.

"Iris?" Indeed it was her. "What are you doing here?"

"Zero! I came as quickly as I could to warn you! Something's happened to Repliforce, they're all bent on leaving this world!"

"We just saw General's speech. We're not taking any action unless they cause trouble in the process…"

"That's just it! My brother has already received attack orders on many different locations!"

"She's right!" we all turned to Alia who was typing away at her terminal. "Not only that, but I'm also picking up some Maverick signals!"

"No… why is everything suddenly falling apart…" Iris put her hands to her face. "Brother, why…?"

"Don't worry Iris!" I spoke up perhaps a bit too eager. "I'll go see if we can solve this non-violently." She looked up at me with faint droplets of tears in her eyes.

"Could you…?"

"I could try…"

"Please… anything to stop this madness… I don't want to be torn from my brother…"

"Zero I guess this mission is on you now…" My commander cut in. "You check out the locations that Repliforce has advanced on… X I want you to investigate and take out the Maverick threats."

"Yes sir!" X darted out of the room to assemble Unit 17. Signas turned back to me.

"Zero… this assignment is the turning point of this predicament… the outcome will be decided on which way this point turns. Do everything possible to come to an agreement, only attack in self-defense." He gave me a stern glare, just in case I wasn't realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Yes sir." I replied without question while turning to leave.

As I walked into the hallway there was a sudden jerk on my arm. I turned and saw Iris grasping my appendage, a look of concern glued to her beautiful face

"Please be careful Zero… I'm worried about something happening to Repliforce, but I don't want something to happen to you either…"

"Don't worry about me Iris… I'll be fine…"

"It's easy to just say that though… we have no idea what will happen… I just can't take my mind off of it."

I sighed and thought for a moment on how to reassure her. Then it hit me. It was a rather old fashioned method, but it would work. I reached around the back of my head and loosened one of the three blue hair ties that kept my hair in the ponytail.

"Here." I said as I placed the hair tie in her hands.

"What…?" She asked in obvious bewilderment.

"This is my reassurance to you that I will come back. It's a promise. Just hold onto it and I will come back for it." I cracked a small smile. She looked at the band then back at me a couple times before getting the jest of it.

"Oh! I get it! Thanks Zero… this'll help me be optimistic."

"Alright… I have to get going now… I'll see you when I return!" I turned and began walking to my team's meeting room.

"And I look forward to it!" She shouted after me as I turned the corner.

After walking for a minute I came across the room where my team was loitering.

(Get ready for a tidal wave of OCs. -Flash)

"Attention!" I remarked as I entered the room. The six members of Black ops unit Zero immediately turned and faced me. I can still remember each one of them. Fire Hawk, the team scout, was a red bird reploid. He could manipulate fire into anything, a sword, shield, projectile, you name it, and he could do it. Shadow, the team spy and assassin, was damn near invisible. He could adjust his appearance with the amount of light that was given due to the special plating his black armor was made of. Above all he was proficient in quick and silent killing. Sev, was the team sniper. We found him in an abandoned lab during a mission, his orange armor all rusted and such, and he didn't know his name. All he knew was that he was his creator's seventh creation, so we nicknamed him Sev. He's a dead shot with a sniper rifle. He could peg individual particles of dust if he wanted to. I never saw him miss. Juggernaut, as his name implies, was the big blue guy of the team. He specialized in heavy armor and weaponry. That guy could be hit by a train and not give an inch. His armor would usually be unscathed even after heavy fire fights. Goto, the team medic, was the most suicidal person I had ever known. He didn't care what he ran through in order to reach an injured friend. I've seen him come back from battles whit his white armor all torn apart by blaster wounds. He was also decent shot with his arm cannon. Finally there was Swift. She was a girl reploid with yellow armor and green hair tied in a pony tail. She was a swordsman like me, only she didn't have an arm cannon. She was probably the only girl, besides Iris, who wasn't a giddy fan girl. That might have been the reason she was the only girl assigned to my team.

My head swayed back and forth, looking at them. "Alright, we have an extremely serious situation here…

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Zero suddenly stopped talking. Everybody was sitting on the edge of their seat the whole time, but for some reason Zero just stopped. Leviathan broke the silence.

"Zero…?" another pause, this one had a dead air surrounding it, almost as if what Zero said next could end or save the world. This of course was only the feeling that came over everybody, that's how intense the re-telling had been so far.

"Lets… rest for a minute…" Zero choked out quietly. He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright…" began Harpuia, "You've been talking for over two hours now…"

Despite what everyone had hoped for, the silence brought it-self up again.

"I think… I'll go grab some energy capsules for us…" Alouette timidly offered as she got up. Croire, of course, followed her.

"Wait I'll help you." Leviathan got up and walked after them.

Another brief pause…

"I'll go get us some crystals… care to lend me a hand Harpuia?"

"Sure…" they left.

The only ones remaining were Zero and Ciel sitting side by side on the bench. Zero sat silently with his eyes closed. Ciel was staring at the ground, speechless. It was a lot to take in before when he had summarized his past for her… but just this little tidbit of this overwhelming past was enough to drive anyone mad. She just didn't know what to say… even if saying something was the right thing to do at the moment.

In the storage room……

"I was surprised to hear that Zero was once arrogant and cocky." Cerveau began as he handed Harpuia some crystal casings. "I just assumed he was always the stoic image of seriousness.:

"I can believe it." Harpuia interjected. "Most warriors are like that. The discipline sets in eventually; it takes a long time, unless something happens to you that is life changing. Plus, people tend to change anyway over time… I know that all too well."

"I believe I can speak for all of us when I saw that the real surprise was Iris in general." Leviathan began. "I never thought Zero would be the romance type."

"Yes… that's true Levi… but I still can't see it."

"See what?" She questioned the emerald warrior.

"Iris… It's only the middle of the story and we haven't heard much about their developing relationship… so we're still in the dark in terms of her thoughts and actions."

"Oh I see. The way things are going makes you wonder how Zero ended up killing her. It makes you wonder if Iris really did love Zero." Leviathan turned back to Harpy as she finished.

"We still haven't heard enough of the story… the facts will unfold as we listen." Everyone nodded in agreement with Harpuia.

"But… she must have loved him…" Everyone faced Alouette. "Zero spoke of her with such passion and heart. How could he do such a thing if he didn't know she loved him back?" Even Harpuia was dumbfounded by the child's descriptive outlook on the matter. They all knew she was right. Zero's voice changed whenever he mentioned her. The solemn look on his face didn't change, but his speech was altered. Cerveau spoke up.

"But that still leaves the question… why did he kill her…?"

Harpuia, noticing how long they had been gone, quickly stepped in, "We should head back now."

"Yes I'm worried about Ciel…" Cerveau began before Leviathan somewhat cut him off.

"She better not let this break her… she is our best chance of helping Zero pull through this."

"You're right…" Cerveau knew exactly what Leviathan meant. He remembered how much she cared for Zero, and how she nearly cried herself to dehydration when we thought he was dead.

They finally returned to Zero and Ciel. Neither of them had adjusted their position in any way. Everybody got settled and comfortable. Again there was a long silence. It was excrutiating. Nobody knew what to say in order to have Zero continue. First Harpuia tried.

"Ok Zero…" Nothing happened.

Cerveau tried. "We're ready Zero…"

They looked back and forth at each other.

"……Zero……" Everyone's eyes shifted to Ciel. She brought her head up with a determined look on her face. "Please… Tell us the rest."

There was another brief pause. Zero opened his eyes slowly and responed, "………All right………Let's continue………"

---To be continued---

* * *

All said and done, this chapter turned out well, in my eyes anyway.

So we now move on to the bulk of the Megaman X4 story line with my own personal twists added in.

I extend my thanks to all those who read and review this story... you guys rock.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and Out!


	25. Days Long Past pt 4

At long last i am finally able to update the story. An explaination is required...

As some of you knew, my computer died on me... completely, i lost everything... music, artwork, game files, and everything else from over the past seven years... everything BUT my writing work. I was able to back it all up from the labtop i use to work when on vacation. (SO THANK GOD FOR IT). I actually had my computer fixed about four weeks ago, but my History Term paper booked first priority. i was working on it for the past three weeks.

So! all explainations aside i will now tell you that my updates may not be very frequent for a little while due to my Junior Year in High School nearing an end. (Boo... I like Highschool...) So until schools out my updates may be three to four weeks apart.

ENOUGH CHAT.

Here we have the long awaited twenty-fifth installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!!!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 25 Days long past pt. 4

As the transporter beam dissipated the jungle breeze blew past my pony tail, causing it to wave gently as the rest of my team beamed in around me. I looked each and every one of them in the eye before giving my orders. Each one returned my look with a determined gaze, eager to fight or give their lives if necessary. Without having to give an order Fire Hawk was already scouring the area from high in the skies. Everyone waited patiently for the scout to do his work. The moment was long and silent, gone was the time for small talk and leisure. I had made it clear to all of my comrades that a focused mind was the key to success. None of them questioned it, especially after we were named the Zero Special Operations Unit of the Maverick Hunters, the best of the best, the elite among the elite. Fire Hawk soon returned to fulfill his duty.

"Sir," He began in his low raspy voice. "Repliforce has complete control of the power plant, but I found no signs of defensive positioning or fighting intentions from the sky."

"Alright… what about you Shadow?" None of the team had noticed Shadow slip out to spy, cloaked among the potential enemy, but it was a hobby of his to disappear. Try as he might, he could never fool me. He was quiet, but a true warrior has detection methods beyond the five senses. Feeling a presence, or a scant air movement, even anticipating the actions of those you face.

"I too found nothing commander. None the less, their intentions could very well be hostile."

"This whole thing is nothing but suspicious. Very well then, we'll go with our standard fifty/fifty chance positions. Get to it!" No sooner had I spoken those last three words had the team scattered save for Swift, Fire Hawk, and I. Shadow disappeared, Sev climbed to the tree tops, And Juggernaut and Goto waited just outside the enemy grounds. I walked with a look of false leisure as I entered the Repliforce scene, Swift and Fire Hawk created a false off guard air around them as well.

"Excuse me." I addressed a worker. "I'm here on a routine check from the Maverick Hunter base. Could I please speak to who's in charge?" The worker looked at me, and then shifted his gaze past my two soldiers before responding.

"Alright, please follow me." He began leading us to the power plant facility. We would soon know whether or not this would leave to conflict. We walked in silence, a nerve racking silence. I was beginning to feel as if I were one of three sheep being led to a slaughter house. My small case of paranoia was interrupted by a large grotesque figure that appeared before us. "Sir, representatives from the Maverick Hunters to see you…" The figure stepped into the light and I immediately knew who stood before me, a large beast reploid in the shape of a yellow spider, his eight arms brimming with the power of electricity; One of the four generals of Repliforce who are known for their immeasurable power and skill in combat.

"Web Spider." The reploid approached me as I uttered his name.

"Ah Zero, I see there is no need for formalities. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Yes let's get straight to the point. We've been getting signals involving movement and possible mobilization of Repliforce. We just want you to assure us that your intentions are non-violent."

"Don't be ridiculous my good friend. We do not wish harm upon anybody. We merely desire to create our own world, a world of reploids. You have my word, we will not attack and we don't plan to, unless of course, you take action against us."

"The Maverick Hunters would never start an avoidable war. I've heard all I need to. Thank you for your time." We bid each other farewell and parted ways. If this was all truth then we still had a matter to attend to. _I guess the Maverick signals have nothing to do with Repliforce. Perhaps their intentions are peaceful after all… but… what will Iris do? _My thoughts prodded for possible answers as we left the main building of the plant.

At that moment we heard a battle cry coming from the roof overhead. "SLAUGHTER THEM!" I turned to see Web Spider on the roof. In an instant all the "workers" dropped their tools and pointed blasters at us.

"SCATTER!!!!!" I instantly gave this order and the three of us burst from our position. Fire Hawk took to the air and Swift stayed close behind me. Fire Hawk was already blazing towards Web Spider as Swift and I began running up the side of the building to join him. The rest of my team went to work as well. I could hear the familiar noise of Sev's rifle as he began picking off random targets. Shadow slipped among the enemies in the battle field, killing them silently. Juggernaut's Gatling cannons were already raining hell, and Goto stood safely behind him, healing any injury Juggernaut might attain. As I ran up the wall beside Swift, I could see Fire Hawk had already engaged Web Spider and the two were locked in fierce combat. A charged blaster bolt suddenly smashed into the building right above us, causing us to lose our footing. I quickly activated my dash boosters and rocket towards Swift. I grabbed her arm and helped her get upright as we landed back on the ground. No sooner did we land did we find ourselves deflecting a cloud of enemy blaster fire. The two of us were pinned for the time being. I radioed Sev and Shadow and they turned their attacking on the soldiers shooting at us. I wanted to help Fire Hawk, but I had to get out of my own predicament first. Over head I could hear the blows being exchanged, but a brief upward glanced contradicted my assumption. The only connecting blows I heard were from Web spider to Fire Hawk. He was losing, severely.

The instant I spotted an opening I was already air born and heading for the one sided skirmish overhead. I was but a moment too late. Web Spider disrupted Fire Hawk's flame sword with a swift swipe of the hand. Fire Hawk rushed back and collected energy in his hands firing a massive fire ball towards the arachnid. Web Spider flew right through the blast, dissipating it with ease. Before Fire Hawk could do anything about it, Web Spider had already, with six of his arms, grabbed hold of Fire Hawks arms, legs, and wings. There was a noise that resonated so painfully through the air that you felt as though it was melting your ears, a loud ripping noise. Fire Hawk's energy signal had disappeared from my sensors, and I watched in disbelief as his body fell to the ground, all seven pieces of it. Still in shock at what had just happened, I was caught off guard and Web Spider trapped in an electric web.

"Well, well… The "GREAT" Zero is a fly caught in a web… how pathetically unfortunate!"

"You gave us your word Spider! How dare you stoop to such low surprise attacks!"

"How dare me?! How about you?! Strutting right in here and trying to tell us how to regulate the process of creating our new lives?! We'll do what ever it takes to be rid of this world of oppression and hate, even if it means spilling some blood!" He stuck his face into mine like a drill sergeant. "Don't tell me I have no right to attack you after giving you fair warning what would happen if you interfered!!! You and your forlorn Maverick Hunters are always talking about creating peace and equality… but even you shun us, accusing us of being Maverick, only because you're afraid that Repliforce has become too powerful! You are nothing but a hypocrite!"

Shadow suddenly appeared behind Web Spider, primed to stab. The beast's reflexes proved to be quicker as he spun around and grabbed Shadow's head with a single hand. Shadow immediately began flailing and struggling to no avail. Web Spider's hand began to glow and what seemed to be little currents of electricity began to emit from his hand. Shadow was confused at first because nothing was happening. Bu a pain many times worse than death began to throb in his head.

"Guh! Gah! AAHHHH! YAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shadow's head exploded.

"NO!"

"Feh… all this small fry is annoying, wouldn't you agree Zero?"

"You're a monster!!!"

"And what are you going to do about it? Lecture me on an equality based society? Oh I'm so afraid! I'm so scared that I feel like playing with your friends a bit before killing you slowly and painfully!"

I was battered, beaten, tired, and incredulous to the recent facts. Two members of my team were gone, these were reploids that I had had over fifty years of combat with. I felt feeble in the grips of the web I was caught in. I watched my sensors lose sight of Shadow for good. A few seconds later Sev's power reading was gone. In no time at all Juggernaut's power suddenly began to drop. I looked down to see the battle unfolding.

Juggernaut was doing what he did best, be a standing, shooting wall. But Web Spiders lightning attacks seemed to pierce right through the heavily armored warrior. Goto was knocked away by an explosion, leaving Juggernaut open for a final attack. Swift charged Web Spider, but was blown away easily by an electric blast. Dodging the countless Gatling bolts, Web Spider approached the massive soldier and gathered electricity in his hand. Juggernaut could do nothing as the beast reached him and placed a hand against his heavy blue armor. A wave of electricity pierced through the titanium alloy and the ground shook slightly as Juggernaut fell to the ground, sizzling. Swift and Goto faced the beast, looks of fear upon their face. Neither were poised to retreat, I was strict on no retreating, but that didn't mean they never wanted too. I was becoming enraged, so angry that I was having trouble containing the massive energy output it was creating. Web Spider cackled delightfully as he charged at my remaining teammates. Swift swung desperately at him, but he merely grabbed her sword with one arm and her arm with the other, pulling it from its socket.

"YAAAAAAA!!!!" She shrieked in pain and dropped to one knee, clutching her shoulder as Web Spider dropped her arm next to her. He jumped back and launched another charge. That was it, I had had enough, and I let my anger explode.

"GRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!" I ripped my arms and legs from the electric bindings with newfound strength given to me by my fallen comrades. Cutting the air to shreds, I sped toward my foe. As Web Spider turned his head to see me, I rammed him with such force that I completely changed the direction of his forward momentum by ninety degrees. Keeping my deceased brethren in mind, I intensified the charge and drove the beast through a wall, into the building. I halted my advance, causing Web Spider to fly a few more yards before crashing to the ground. I glared deeply at the monstrosity before speaking words that I was sure would send a shiver down his spine, if he had one.

"There will be no mercy for you. I shall return the pain you've dealt to my friends many fold!"

"Fool. You only caught me off guard; I will dispose of you just as easily as the others."

"Is that so?" I now stood behind Web Spider, who was still looking at my previous location. This time I really saw his joints tense up as he realized what he was up against. "There is a reason THEY refer to me as commander." I cleaved the monster in two and the pieces began to shift apart. "AND NOW YOU'LL FACE THAT REASON!!! I minced the two slices into little pieces, and disintegrated those pieces with my arm cannon. All evidence that a reploid had once stood in front of me ceased to exist.

Without a word I exited the building to tend to my injured comrades. As I exited the structure I noticed that Swift had taken care of the rest of the enemy, despite only having her left hand. It was now dead quiet. Swift and Goto were kneeling next to Juggernaut, who hadn't moved from his location of collapse.

"Sir something is wrong…" Goto began. He paused for a moment, slightly afraid of the look on my face, but continued quickly. "It's Juggernaut sir… I don't fully understand, but there is no physical damage to his body… Whatever that freak did to him, it must have been to the big guy's mind."

"Alright, let's get him to a Lifesaver. Connect him to base immediately; I have to report everything to Signas."

"Right!" Goto took hold of Juggernaut's massive arm and disappeared in a beam of light. I pondered what this all meant. Not just for me, but for humans… reploids… the Maverick Hunters… Repliforce… but most of all… Iris. What would she do now that war was unavoidable?

"Sir, shall we return to HQ?" I glanced up at my battered teammate. She was torn up and missing an arm, but she kept a straight face despite the pain with her hair flowing in the breeze softly. Swift was never one to show weakness.

"You go on ahead; I need a moment to think."

"…Yes sir…" She too disappeared in a flash of light. It was still dead quiet. I began to wonder about the deaths of my comrades. A majority of the team was dead in all what seemed an instant. I felt a drop on my shoulder and the rain rushed down suddenly, without thunder, without warning/ I stood still for minutes that seemed hours. The soft wind had blown away all the dust clouds and caught by hair, waving it freely in the breeze along with the rain that began to wash clean the earth and away the signs of battle. Just one reploid… One reploid took down all but three of my team members. I was half woebegone and half affronted, but my mind was really focused on two subjects. One, whether or not I should take anybody else on these missions with me, and two, what was Iris going to do? Knowing I would not find the answers by staying at the new graveyard, I gave one last look before teleporting home.

…

…

…

"Zero!" X started right as I beamed in. "Zero what the hell happened out there?"

"Let's go Signas…… I don't want to have to explain it more than once…" I walked passed X without looking at him and continued to the command center. Everyone had gathered there, even Iris. I explained everything, the deception, the trap, the fighting, and the deaths. No words were spoken, even after I was finished. I exited the room before anyone could bring themselves to respond. Besides, I had a job to do. I walked the halls for a few minutes and made my way to the medical center. I entered to find my three comrades, Swift, Goto, and Juggernaut. Goto was already patched up and was helping the Lifesavers with Swift's arm.

"Zero!" Swift exclaimed as I entered. Goto turned around and immediately gave attention.

"At ease Goto…" he sighed and came to me. "How are they?" I questioned with a dismal tone.

"Well… Swift will be fine. Her arm can be easily repaired and reattached…"

"And Juggernaut?" Goto was hesitant to answer.

"I'll tell him…" A Lifesaver walked toward me. "There is nothing we can do for him."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry Zero. Whatever he was attacked with completely destroyed his circuitry. All that is left is an empty shell." Not three… two… only two were left now. That finalized my decision as I faced my remaining teammates.

"Swift… Goto…"

"Sir?" they replied in unison.

"I'm going to take care of the rest of these missions alone."

"What?!" Swift was ready to retaliate. "But…" I raised a hand to stop her.

"It is clear to me now that this situation requires stealth followed by quick moving force, and a team of reploids won't be able to move quickly enough." She slumped back against the wall. "Swift, Goto, please understand me. After what just happened I can't bring myself to risk anymore lives against the Repliforce generals… for all we know the rest of them will be equipped just as well as Web Spider was, if not better."

"But sir we'll be ready to…"

"Stop Goto."

"Swift?" Goto turned to her.

"Zero is right. With the caliber of the enemy we pose no threat to them. Solo missions preformed by the high ranked Maverick Hunters are the best way to proceed… and if I learned anything from the past, it would be that the commander is best suited for the job." Goto hung his head and sighed.

"You're right Swift…" He turned to me. "Alright sir… good luck." I didn't respond. I turned and left the room with no further words. As the door closed behind me I sensed a presence. Looking to my right I spotted Iris.

"Iris?" She looked at me slowly, a look of sorrow on her face.

"Zero…" I walked up to her. "I'm so sorry… your team… they…" I quickly stopped her.

"Iris, my team fought till their last breath… I'm proud of each and every one of them…"

"But still… this whole conflict began because of Repliforce… I can't help but feel somewhat responsible…" I shook my head.

"No Iris… You have no part in Repliforce's decisions… and I swear to you I will get your brother back somehow. I promise." She looked at me again, the somber expression had lifted a little, but wasn't completely gone."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to finish my missions alone." I knew she wasn't going to take this well.

"What?! Zero! You can't! You'll die!" It was the answer I expected and I already knew how to handle it.

"Iris… do you still have the hair band?"

"What…? Oh! Yes I do…"

"Hold onto it."

"Hold onto it?"

"Yes… because I will still return no matter what happens… and that hair band sealed that agreement remember?"

"Oh… yes!"

"I promise I'll return Iris… I will make everything better, like it used to be, then I **will** come back and you can return the hair band. Okay?" My words seemed to caress her feelings, for the sadness was gone from her beautiful face.

"Yes! Oh Zero…. Thank you so much… you put so much on the line and think of others always before yourself…" She came forward and hugged me. I didn't let myself over think… I just returned the hug. I had to succeed. I would put everything back in its place. I had too. There was just too much at stake.

--To be continued--

* * *

Things will be sped up a little bit in the next chapter in terms of how the X4 story line goes. I will add a few twists here and there, but i'm itching to get back to the main story line in the Zero time period.

I will work as frequently as i can, but i can;t guarentee anything as i mentioned before.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	26. Days Long Past Final Part

At long last... after many obstacles and constant delaying, i've finally gotten the next chapter out to you guys. But! Since it would hardly be fair to release a normal length chapter after such a long time, i decided to delay just a little longer so that i could throw this all together for you.

Yep! I have four chapters molded into one below, making this my largest and probably best chapter yet! I figured it would be the better thing to do since i've kept my readers in the dark for so long. hopefully i will be able to get back on track.

anywho...

This is the twenty-sixth installment of Believe in Me. And the final part of Zero's story of his past pains.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me 

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 26 Days long past final part

From that day forward I worked alone on my missions. I confronted the other three outpost generals of the Repliforce army and took each of them down. Storm Owl, Slash Beast, and Jet Stingray were all formidable foes, but these enemies were different from the usual mindless Maverick. Each one of them gave me their own speech on equality and oppression. They were serious and were beginning to drive a valid point, but as long as they threatened humanity I would not allow them to continue at their present pace. I will admit I had often thought of the current place for reploids in societies myself. Even though they are going about it the wrong way, Repliforce was laying down the facts for everybody to see. It was confusing and somewhat demoralizing to me at times, but I had my own reasons for fighting beyond protection of humanity as Repliforce had for fighting against humanity. In the end neither the Maverick Hunters nor Repliforce could truly claim that their current goals ranked over the other in reason. One thing still had the whole Maverick Hunter team confused, was this war the result of Repliforce being infected by the Maverick Virus? There was absolutely no sign of it. This was an actual war. Sure, there was some Maverick activity, but there never wasn't Maverick trouble to begin with, they were always active. X was taking care of that. All in all, this was the first time most of the Maverick Hunters had fought non-Maverick enemies. It was tough, but they had to deal with it.

As I returned to the base after defeating Jet Stingray I received a message from Alia.

"Zero! Good to see you've returned unharmed, a message has arrived for you on holo-disk." She handed me the disk and went about her typical work without another word. I quickly filed a report of my mission before excusing myself to the dormitories. Upon entering my room I locked the door and played the message. It was from Colonel. A challenge no doubt.

"Zero… The memorial monument Eight o'clock… Be there." Just like when we always dueled. The only words spoken in the challenge was the others name, the location, and the time. Nothing else had to be said. I looked up at the clock mounted on the wall above my door. Seven twenty. I still had time. I sat and wondered; wondered about the many events that had taken place in the past few days. I met Iris, I got to know her, Repliforce rebelled, my teammates were slaughtered, I took down the core soldiers of Repliforce, but now what? That was the main question that had been on my mind for a while only it had taken different forms. Before it was what will happen if, then it was what will happen after, now it's what will happen now? It was one of the questions that hadn't been answered yet it was the one that plagued me beyond any of the others. How long had I sat here thinking about this? I wasn't sure myself, but I decided to leave early. I didn't bother to look at the clock; I just got up to leave and began to ponder my possible strategies for handling this situation. I would talk first of course, but if that didn't work I would take him down by force. Even if I had to restrain him, I promised Iris I would bring him back. If I could accomplish that then it was highly possible that Iris would be able to reason him out of this madness. Being wary that nobody saw me, I walked down the hall and around a corner before teleporting to the memorial's coordinates.

…

…

…

As I landed at the memorial I eyed my surroundings; the memorial was basically a wide open area placed on an island that was connected to the mainland by a bridge. The island was no more than seven acres long and the memorial grounds covered its entirety; in the middle of the grounds stood a large stage with an enormous spire in stages center. A giant clock was attached to the spire about half way up, it read seven fifty. I was early, but I paid no mind. I walked up to the spire and waited there for my rival to show.

He was right on schedule, eight o'clock sharp. He entered the memorial slowly and glanced around before continuing towards the spire. I could hear his footsteps draw closer to the stage, but not upon. He was walking around the large area and eventually he had his back to me. I stepped forward and drew my blade, the soft crackle of its activation made Colonel jump as he began to look for the source of the noise. I saved him the trouble.

"Colonel!" He spun around and faced me. "I'm disappointed in you Colonel!" I leapt from the platform towards my target, swinging my saber down violently. "HYAAAAAA!!!!" He stepped out of range swiftly, but I pressed him further. Taking two more swings before circling around him.

"What do you think your doing?!" He questioned as he faced to me. I scoffed at his petty excuse for a façade of innocence.

"It's not too late… Stop the coup now!" As I anticipated, my words did not reach him. He merely closed his eyes and gave a straight forward reply.

"Never." I tightened the grip on my sword. It was time for plan B, and for how I wanted to do it in the first place.

"If that's your decision…" I saw colonels hand slowly reaching for his saber. I smirked knowing we were about to duel, but this time it meant life or death for me. The feeling was almost………exhilarating. "…THEN PREPARE YOURSELF!!!" Colonel drew his saber and we lunged at each other, locking our sabers together. We both struggled against the others strength for mere seconds before breaking apart and exchanging attacks back and forth. Again we clashed head on, sparks flying from our sabers as the beams pressed together. We broke apart once more, readying ourselves for another charge, but…

"Stop please!!!" We both came to a halt and looked towards the sound of the voice. It was Iris! "Brother please, don't you remember? Zero saved my life…" There was a long silence before colonel lowered his sword.

"Very well…" He fixed his eyes on me. "I'll spare your life for now…" He turned his back to me and started walking away, "… but next time… there will be no mercy." Iris and I watched him until he disappeared from sight. Why did she come? I could have put an end to it there. "Zero, please don't fight with my brother. If you do I'm afraid that one of you may end up…" I put away my saber and jumped down with my back turned to her. She shouldn't have stepped in.

"Someone… must stop Repliforce!" I clenched my fist with the anger I wasn't allowed to release due to our battle being cut short. I began walking away.

"Zero!" Iris called after me, but I was already on a fixed path.

…

…

…

…

Two days went by with no action or calls to duty. I spent my time dispelling my anger in the training room. People would stand aside as I came and went in fear of the death glare that had been plastered on my face since the incident with Colonel and Iris. I also hadn't seen Iris for those past too days. The night of the second day rolled around and I emerged from the training room for the third time that day. Some of the stress had been lifted over the course of forty-eight hours, but I still felt anger. Why wouldn't it go away? Better yet where was Iris? Since this morning I had begun to feel guilty for walking away from her at the Memorial. I wanted to clear things up with her, but she hadn't been around. I trudged back to my room and tossed my helmet onto the bed upon entering, sitting down next to its resting place. I sat for about ten minutes thinking until I heard a knock at my door. I rose from the bed and made my way to the door. The door slid open and I was completely surprised to see who stood before me.

"Iris." Indeed it was her. She was staring at the ground as if she was afraid to look at me. We stood like that, across from each other for five minutes that seemed like five hours. Eventually she lifted her gaze from the floor and our eyes met. She spoke in a light almost quivering tone,

"Can I… come in…Zero? I want… I want to talk to you." There was absolutely no reason that would have rejected her, so I moved aside and motioned her to come into my room. She moved in slowly as I closed the door behind me. She made her way over to my window and stared outside as I came in behind her, sitting myself down in a chair. "I know you're probably angry at me…" I was confused at first, but then I remembered the other day with Colonel.

"Iris I…"

"No you don't need to tell me… I shouldn't have stepped in. I saw you leave unexpectedly and got this bad feeling that something was going to happen to you, so I followed." I quickly rose from my seat and walked over to her.

"Iris… I'm sorry if I made you believe that I was angry at you." She turned to me.

"I still shouldn't have stepped in…" I didn't know what else I could say and it was killing me. "…You may have been able to put an end to everything right there, but I ruined your opportunity… I'm sorry…" I brought up a hand to put on her shoulder, but before I could I noticed tears forming in her eyes. "I… I just couldn't stop myself when I saw you two fighting…" She clamped her hands together and tilted her head down. "I couldn't stop because both of you… mean more to me than anything else, and when I saw both of you fighting I just… I just had to stop it……" I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out, it was either my loss for words or the shock that she held me in as high regards as her brother that was keeping me from uttering a single syllable. "I'm so afraid that one of you might end up……" I couldn't take it anymore. I reached out and brought her towards me in a gentle embrace. I don't know what caused me to do this, perhaps not wanting to hear her so sad anymore, or maybe it was the only way I believed I could comfort her. The question of which reason was true was not on my mind right now. I was in a position that felt so far away mere weeks ago. I was holding the girl in my arms that had drawn out my first real feelings of love. We stayed like this until Iris' tears stopped, then I slowly let up, but I kept my arms around her waist.

"Iris… I will find a way through this… I will bring back Colonel. When we meet again it will be a fierce battle, but I will bring him back alive… I don't know how I'm going to do it yet, but I will bring him back…" Iris watched me as the words left my lips and it was as though each word brought hope back to her little by little. It had been really hard for her, being torn between her family and what she believed was right. She looked into my eyes and I stared back into hers. Then, suddenly, she reached her arms around my neck and brought her face to mine, kissing me. I had never been more surprised than I was now at this sudden display of affection, but I fell right in. I returned the embrace and the kiss. I had never done it before, but my body seemed to move as though it was guided by a force, perhaps the bond we shared. Neither of us wanted to stop, but nothing that good lasts forever, and we eventually parted staring into each others passion filled eyes once more. The rest of the world was gone for those few moments, gone were the Mavericks, gone was Repliforce, and gone was Colonel, for a little while we felt as though we were the only ones in the entire world. But as I said… nothing that good lasts forever.

"Zero…" Iris broke the silence, "…it's as if you're and angle sent down from heaven to make things right… without you I might not even be alive right now… the war would be worse than it is… and I wouldn't be here now feeling safe within the arms of a hero…"

"And these arms will protect you…" I began, "…and not just now, but for as long as we are together. These arms will set everything right… they will see to it personally."

She hugged me tightly as I said this, then looked into my eyes once more. "Zero… I love you…" She then rested her head on my chest before letting out a quiet, but joyful sigh.

I put my hand lightly on the back of her head. "Iris… I love you too……" It was ironic… very much so… Only a few weeks ago I was a cocky, arrogant fool who would soak up the attention the ladies gave him. When I met Iris everything changed, as if all of it was all destined to happen. I found my way through confusing emotions and unexplained feelings to a girl who truly meant the world to me.

Nothing could describe what I was feeling during those fervent moments, but it sure as hell lifted my spirit. I had not experienced a single moment of sheer happiness since my team was slaughtered so this was almost more than I could handle. There was no way we'd be able to part ways for the night, so I invited Iris to stay the night. She happily agreed.

…

…

…

…

A month past and the Maverick Hunters were bewildered. Why hadn't Repliforce been active? Our scouts lost track and our spies were stuck turning up every stone to find any information at all. As confusing as it was, I hardly cared. Iris and I had grown extremely close over the time and the last thing we wanted was more conflict. There were still small bits of random maverick activity, but X was on that job. I was left on standby for any Repliforce movement.

"Maybe they gave up?" Signas shook his head.

"I wish it were that easy to discern Iris… but we have no proof on any theory right now."

"Mabye there was internal fighting within Repliforce…" I began, "… It's highly possible that some of the members don't agree with General…"

"…then they haven't moved because they don't want the internal disagreement to go public." X finished for me.

"But that's still only a possibility…" Alia commented from her terminal. "… our best bet is to keep waiting and see what happens…" Her terminal began to beep. "X! we have more maverick activity!"

"Alright I'm on it."

"Wait don't you find this strange?" X stopped as Signas continued. "The Maverick activity is slowly rising… X you are the only hunter left on Maverick duty… all the others are out on missions."

"I guess we'll have to add more hunters if this continue… we'll discuss this later I have Mavericks to take care of." X beamed out. Almost immediately after X left, Alia's terminal began beeping again.

"What? Oh… Great! More Mavericks… and we just ran out of hunters…"

"I'll go…" I stepped forward.

"Are sure Zero? It's pretty isolated… I don't know if we want to risk having you away in case of a Repliforce attack."

"Let him go Alia." Signas stepped forward. "Zero's been held here at the base for too long. I'm sure he's eager for a little exercise." I cracked my knuckles and grinned.

"Yeah I think a little workout is just what I need."

"Alright then here are the coordinates." I copied them into my memory from Alia's computer then stepped back.

"Be careful Zero…" Iris gave my hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." After returning the squeeze and giving a reassuring smile I transported to my destination.

…

…

…

…

I could feel the heat even before my teleport beam dissipated. I had landed inside a volcano.

"Yikes! Maverick activity in here?!" I looked around and began moving about the humungous cavern, encountering the typical maverick grunts. It was like a walk in the park, only I'd hardly call the inside of a volcano a park. I found myself dodging columns of flames and burning rocks. I began to find it difficult to navigate, but what came next was unexpected.

I flipped over a giant wall in the cavern and landed in what seemed to be an arena carved out by unnatural causes.

"What? What is this?"

"Welcome Zero." I knew that voice.

"You… show yourself Dragoon!" Magma Dragoon rose from the lava engulfed in flames that seemed top circle around his body, brimming with power. "I knew something was strange the day the colony crashed… it was you."

"Heh that's right… I was in command of those mavericks that attacked the Sky Lagoon."

"Why Dragoon?! Why give in to the Maverick virus?"

"Why else? I wanted power! I wanted to burn with power! I was sick of always being in your shadow and X's shadow! The fourteenth unit was seen as the third team to go to if the zero or seventeenth units were already busy in a crisis. We were treated like trash and my commander was so naïve not to care."

"You've got to be kidding me… that's the reason you defected?! You speak of your commander as being naïve, and I don't really care if he really is or not, but if he is, you out-class him in that aspect on all levels!"

"You would never understand Zero! How could you know what it feels like to want power if you don't even truly remember who you are!?" That caught my attention, up until now I had always cast aside any questions about my past. All I had ever cared about was protecting civilization from any threat, but this could wait. Right now, I had a threat to take care of. I drew my saber and pointed it at Dragoon.

"Dragoon, I don't know how you know anything about my past, but right now that's not what's important… Right now you are going to feel the pain of the billions of lives you took that day, and don't think I'll miss a SINGLE life."

"Heh… that is if you can beat me… I've grown more powerful than you can ever imagine."

"Less cliché, more action… traitor." Dragoon immediately cupped his hands behind him. I recognized the form as one of his techniques, the Hadoken, and already began to move. He thrust his hands forward and a wave of fire burst from his hands, colliding to the sport that had just leapt from.

"I know your moves Dragoon… you can't beat me." He didn't listen. He kept firing more Hadokens at me. I easily dodged them. I could remember back during the tournaments we had at the Maverick Hunter base. He defeated Swift with the same moves I saw here. When he used them against me I merely kept striding until he fired too many. The explosions left enough clouds of dust that it impaired his vision. I don't know what is was, perhaps because I was so enraged at how many people he killed, but I decided to do the same thing to him, to rub it in a little as well as avenge billions. Dust had collected in the air, and I made my move. I came up behind him, saber back and ready to strike.

"You really thought I would fall for that again Zero?" It was a brash, cocky move to begin with, and I let my thirst for revenge get the better of my battle instincts. Of course he wouldn't fall for it again, and now I paid for it.

"SHOYUKEN!" His fist collided with my chest and we were soon airborne. The pressure from the attack was so immense that I couldn't move my arms or legs. He grabbed me by the neck and threw me towards the ground. Flying towards me his foot lit on fire and crashed into my back, After yelling in pain I turned around and rocketed back towards him. As I turned I could hear, "HADOKEN!" A wave of fire collided with me and exploded, sending me to the ground. There was a loud crash at my back. I looked back at my enemy and a ball of heat energy was forming over a finger he held in the air. He whipped his hand downward and the ball flew towards me, with not time to react the ball hit me and exploded sending me about ten feet into the rock. I could hear Dragoon at the end of the tunnel. "What's wrong Zero? Surprised that somebody can beat around so easily?" The next instant I had him against the wall opposite of the one I had tunneled into with my saber at his throat.

"I've had worse you bastard."

"Heh… good… I guess that means I'll have to show you more pain!"

"Too bad you are about to die." I was about to slice off his head, but right before I could his eyes suddenly released a blast of fire that exploded in my face.

"Gah!" I fell back and clutched my face. Dragoon came at me and punched me in the stomach; I coughed up some fluids and hung there on his fist. He spun around and threw me at the ground and punched me into the ground, then picked me up and flung me next to a pit of lava.

"I hope you've prepared yourself Zero. For this is the end of the Great Hero of the Zero unit!" He crossed his hands in front of his face and began building up power. I was trying to get to my feet. I was more damaged than I had expected. I suddenly realized the source of all this power. Not only was he using the power of the Maverick virus, but he was also drawing massive amounts of energy from the volcano. I had to find a way to counter it, but how? I had dropped my saber halfway between me and Dragoon, but there was no way I could pick it up in time to counter this next attack. I managed to get to my feet just as Dragoon launched an enormous, continuous blast of fire from his mouth. With no other option I threw up my arms, crossing them to form a makeshift guard. The blast hit and I stood my ground, but the heat was unbearable. I was relying on willpower alone to survive. Suddenly, I saw an opportunity to attack. This blast was harsh, but I could probably move into it. I decided to gamble it and dashed forward with my booster rockets. I grabbed my saber off the ground and wound up for a strike. Dragoon never knew what hit him. I sliced his body into two pieces across his chest with a diagonal slash. The two parts fell to the ground and Dragoon let out a cry of pain. I stood over him glaring down at him.

"That's that…" I pointed my saber at him. "Looks like I didn't quite satisfy a billion lives… I guess I need to finish the deal."

"Ahh… Haha… Zero… even towards the end you beat me… this power was not enough… but you will never defeat the Mavericks…"

"What are the Maverick's planning?"

"Ha! Like… like I would tell you that… I will tell you though… that you and your petty band of Maverick Hunters… were foolish to treat the Mavericks like the smaller threat of this conflict!"

"What?! Speak hell hound!"

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!" I thrust my saber through his head. And he stopped moving. That's all there was to it. He went insane at the very end and my mission was now complete. Without looking back I turned and teleported back to base.

…

…

I arrived at the base shortly after and Iris, when she heard me beam in, immediately turned to face me. "Welcome back Ze…………Zero! Oh my…… Are you alright!?" I had sustained some heavy damage; it was only natural for her to be concerned.

"I'm all right… Don't worry yourself. One trip to a Life Saver and I'll be good as new by tomorrow."

"Still…"

"Zero!" I looked towards Signas. "What the devil happened in that volcano?"

So I told him. I told him and everybody else what had happened. The easy entranced, followed by a fierce yet short battle, then the warning. The warning is what really got everybody worried.

"So it's highly possible that the Mavericks have been working up a devious plot underneath our noses while we were busy confronting Repliforce…" Alia suggested.

"No matter what theory is correct, we must keep a closer eye on the Maverick activity now. If you hadn't brought us this information Zero, there could have been some major problems. Good work, now go see a Life Saver, you look like you're about to fall apart." I nodded my head and received my mission report from Alia before heading out the door.

…

"Ok that should do it." The life saver disconnected the power cord from my arm. "Your energy is completely refilled, now you just have to rest."

"How long do you think?" The Life Saver began typing at a console.

"With your current injuries, I'd have to say two days maybe a little less."

"Alright I'll begin right away." I walked over to auto repair capsule and opened the hatch. I was about to step in when I heard the Life Saver exiting the room followed by an innocent voice.

"Oh! Excuse me…" I turned around and saw Iris walk in.

"Iris…"

"Zero are you really okay? When you came back all battered I was afraid…" I stepped away from the capsule and went towards her.

"Believe me I've had much worse, don't worry yourself… As I told you before Iris, you needn't worry about the crisis or me; I will always return to you and I will put an end to this entire mess so we may life together peacefully…" She smiled her beautiful smile at me. That smile always brought warmth to my heart.

"I know you will succeed Zero… Right now I believe that if anybody can put an end to this it would be you…" I moved closer to her.

"I need to rest now; it may take a day or two…"

"Alright… then I'll be waiting." We leaned in and shared a brief, small kiss. Then she turned to leave but kept facing me. "Sweet dreams Zero…" She turned her head around, her hair whipped around gently as she made the motion and left the room. It was incredible. Just… Her. I loved her so much there wasn't a way to explain it. Every time I saw her I felt like I could endure an endless amount of Maverick attacks if it were just to protect her. I sighed, and kept her in my thoughts as I entered the capsule and closed the hatch. My last thoughts before I put myself on stand by were of Iris and only Iris.

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…

…

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY!

I activated in an instant and punched the hatch off of the capsule. I didn't spend time wondering what was wrong; I would find that out soon enough. _An emergency now? What could it be?_ I burst into the command center.

"What's going on?!" Signas, X, and Alia turned to me immediately.

"I giant space vessel has suddenly appeared at Repliforce's central command." Alia shouted towards me.

"The minute we began focusing on the Mavericks, Repliforce went ahead and continued their plan! Zero get over there now! I want you to infiltrate the launch site while X leads a frontal assault!" I heard what he said, but I wasn't facing him. In fact I was looking back and forth frantically.

_Where…? Where…?_

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"Where is Iris?"

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"What?!" X questioned me. "Where is who Zero?"

"WHERE IS IRIS!!!???" I yelled at him furiously and he almost fell backward.

"Yikes! I don't know Zero1 I haven't seen her since……… oh no……" To this day I'm still surprised that I didn't snap right there and go crazy.

"I'm going now!" I began imputing the coordinates.

"Zero you can't teleport there they put up a shield with a five mile radius, go with X on the transport ship." Alia explained. I grunted violently and pushed past X.

"Hey! Zero where are you going?!" I didn't answer. I dashed down the hallway as fast as my legs could take me heading outside. Four hover bikes were locked onto a security unit. I thrust my hand into the system and if shorted out; grabbing the bike closest to me, I sped off at top speed towards the Repliforce command.

_There is no way she would leave me… Colonel… Colonel must have taken her by force… he will pay!!! _

After riding for twenty minutes, the center came into view. Twisting the handle bar, I pushed the bike to its limits and sped towards the main gate. As I came into range I activated the downward thrusters on the bike and raised high into the air, over the walls and leapt off as the bike crashed into a nearby building of the command center. No later did I touch down upon a roof did I encounter blaster fire. I wasted no time and cut through the ranks of soldiers and headed straight for the ship priming for take off. Anyone and everyone who was foolish enough to stand in my way when anger was at its peak was removed from my path swiftly and efficiently. The launch site grew nearer, the grip on my saber tightened as I continued clearing myself a path. The Maverick Hunter assault ships began passing overhead and dropping Hunters to designated locations the draft caused by the ships began kicking up dust which I used to my advantage as a smoke screen. Slipping past soldier after soldier, I found myself standing on the launch pad, but I was not alone.

"So you've finally come……Zero." It was him, and my limbs began to stiffen, eager to release all the anger bottled up not only from the current situation, but also that of which could not be released last time we met and were interrupted.

"Colonel……" A brutal stare down began. Neither of us moved an inch for a long while as battles raged on all around us throughout the base. Colonel seemed to grow tired of the silence as he began to talk.

"Zero I will give you one last chance, leave us be or you will be destroyed."

"You know that option is out of the question. I know Repliforce wants to create their own world, but the way they went about achieving this goal was inexcusable. You will be brought to justice along with the rest."

"So be it." Colonel reached for his sword. Then something important came to mind. I stuck out my hand,

"Wait, Colonel, before we fight… what have you done with Iris?"

"Iris? What are you talking about? Iris has been with the Hunters since we started this process." He may actually have not known of Iris' location, but at the time I was so furious about her missing that I took it as a lie.

"If you want to bullshit me go ahead! But I **WILL **take back Iris."

"Think what you want, but I have no knowledge on the location of my sister." No more words were said. The rest of the talking would be done with our swords. No longer than ten seconds had passed before were already locked together, sabers crackling under the force output. We broke apart and began bouncing off one another as we came forward again and again with attacks. Colonel jumped back and yelled "Sonic Boom!" and began slashing his saber in the air. Caught off guard by this sudden special move, I barely managed to dodge as the cuts of energy rushed past. Colonel had never shown a move like that before. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice Colonel to my side and barely managed to block his next attack by reaching my saber over my head to guard my left side. He jumped back again, but predicting his movements I quickly moved forward towards him before he could unleash another wave of sonic booms. He too noticed my maneuver and disappeared from sight before I could reach him. I looked around, puzzled to his new location.

"Show yourself!" There was no response, but I held my guard firm. Sensing a presence, I spun around to see Colonel about ten meters away with his saber above his head.

"Lightning Crash!" Lightning struck Colonels sword. He turned the sword downward and thrust it into the grounds. The ground below me suddenly ignited and a blast of lightning struck me below the chin, sending me upward. What was this? Had colonel been holding back all these moves on purpose? I landed hard and picked myself back up quickly.

"Surprised Zero?"

"Where in the world did you pull these techniques from?"

"Please Zero, you should know by now… These are my battle techniques; I don't use them in petty duels." So he no longer saw it as a contest for who is strongest. This was a battle for our lives, our first true battle. This only brought a smirk to my face.

"Fine then… I'll show you some of my moves."

"Do what you will."

"Here I come!" I charged at Colonel full force, saber out in front. I began attacking, but in a normal fashion. Colonel was bewildered; perhaps he believed I was bluffing. He spun around and hacked sideways at me. I bent backward and the blade passed over, he spent no time in changing the angle of the blade's path and immediately swung downward, I rolled out of the way and sprung up continuing my attack.

"Enough of this!" Colonel backed up for another Sonic Boom attack.

"Now! Hienkyaku!" My dash jets fired instantly and sent me forward at an extremely high speed. I was in Colonel's face before he could raise his sword.

"What?! Super speed?!" I rammed him, making him lose his balance, before crouching again.

"Shippuuga!" My blade turned a fuchsia color and I swept the blade under colonel's feet, tripping him up. "Ryuenjein!" The Z-saber burst into flames and I thrust my saber upward into Colonel. I caught Colonel on the burning blade, thrusting him into the air as I jumped. When the flames dispersed I used the Hienkyaku again to appear above him. "Hyouretsuzan!" The blade incased itself in ice and I thrust it downward into Colonel. I rode the tip of the hilt until we crashed into the ground. I jumped back and waited for the dust to clear. Colonel suddenly burst from the ground underneath me and caught me by the throat. He was badly damaged and evidently furious. He put his saber to my neck and was about to kill me when I activated the Hienkyaku again to slip from his grip. No sooner did I stop did he fire sonic booms towards me. "Tenkuuha!" My saber turned purple and I put up a guard. The sonic booms reflected back to Colonel as they collided with my blade. Colonel wasn't ready for such an action and one of the sonic booms glanced off of his left shoulder.

"Where did you get all these techniques?!" Colonel yelled towards me.

"I already knew these techniques; in fact I've used most of them against you. Only, these elements were downloaded from weapons data collected from Mavericks. The Shippuuga however, was downloaded directly from Slash Beast."

"So I had seen that move before… How did you send back my attack?"

"The Tenkuuha switches my saber's defense functions from deflect to reflect, any energy projectile you send my way will be coming right back to you."

"Enough talk… Time to end this; how about we go for one last strike, you against me. No fancy techniques, only saber to saber."

"I'm all for that." I took a forward stance and readied for a sprint. Colonel did the same.

"Here is the starting marker." Colonel held up a small piece of debris and tossed it into the air. All time seemed to stop as the debris fell to the ground in what seemed to be hours that took up seconds. All my past battles with Colonel were playing back through my head, but I could not find a decent strategy for this next moment. The only option was to charge in and attack without regrets and without sympathy. The debris touched the ground.

…

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It was over in an instant. Colonel lay on his back with a giant gash had almost completely split his armor in two. In the end I proved to be a little faster, but that small margin was enough to tip the odds in my favor. Once again no words were said. I merely put away my saber and began walking towards the rocket. I suddenly heard what sounded like an arm cannon. I turned around to see that Colonel had somehow called an arm cannon and fired a giant energy blast that was only milliseconds away from hitting me. I pulled out my saber and guarded against the blast. But…

_Oh no!!!!! The Tenkuuha is still activated!!!!!! _The blast reflected… and exploded on Colonel, engulfing him in a massive explosion. I covered my face with my arms as debris and dust flew at me. We know now that I did not kill him, but at that moment I believed that I had. His energy reading was gone from my scanner and I stood staring at the cloud of dust. _What am I going to do now? How will I break this to Iris?_ I was caught in a bad scenario with little to no options. I turned my back to the battle grounds and began to walk towards the enormous vessel once more. How to break the news to Iris was important, but right now I had to more important things to think about. Priority one was Iris' safety, and priority two was to stop Repliforce all together.

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…

…

I finally made it to the base of the ship with little to no resistance. I rocketed up the side until I found an emergency hatch. I tore it off and entered the massive craft. I soon realized the reason for the little resistance I encountered due to the massive number of soldiers on board. Using stealth and discretion, I gingerly made my way about the ship, avoiding any conflict. I slipped from cover to cover and eventually found myself in a large room with power cords littered all over the floor. The door suddenly closed behind me and I began to wonder if I had stumbled into a trap. My hand went to my saber hilt and held it steady as I walked forward. My eyes continually scanned the area, waiting for an ambush to appear…

"Zero……" I spun around…

_That voice……could it be?!_

"Zero……" There was no doubt about it. I turned around once again and I saw her.

"Iris!!!" I was about to run forward to hug her, but she had a distraught look on her beautiful face. "Iris?" She lifted her eyes and looked into mine. I could tell something wasn't right here.

"Zero… you fought with my brother… and killed him." A fierce pain went through my heart. How did she know? All words left me. I was only able to say,

"Iris, I…" She suddenly glared at me.

"Zero, I told you it would happen eventually, but you didn't listen…" I was beginning to panic. What had come over Iris? I was scared and confused.

"Iris! It was…"

"No! Not another word Zero!" She put her hand in the air and a purple ball of energy floated down to her. I froze.

_No… No it couldn't be… Not Iris! Iris! _The ball was raging with dark energy or Maverick energy as it was called at the time. "Say it isn't so Iris!"

"Yes Zero… it is… this is for my Brother!" The ball floated over her and began to glow fiercely. I was speechless, lost with no way to turn. There had to be an explanation for this. All possible reasons for this occurrence were shuffling through my head. I shielded my eyes as a bright flash illuminated the entire room. When the light died down, in Iris' place was a large, purple, floating, battle mech with a crystal floating around it. It really was Iris and she was really about to attack me. How was I going to defend myself? How could I attack the one I love? These thoughts came to mind as I began dodging volleys of plasma blasts hurling towards me. I hadn't even drawn my saber yet because I was too busy thinking.

_I have to defeat her without causing any damage to her… She is not a battle reploid, so any direct damage could kill her easily… Wait! The only reason she would attack me is because she is under the control of the Maverick energy! If I can find the source of the dark power and dissipate the flow somehow…… it might just work! But… where is the energy coming from…… _I dodged again and again. The realized that the crystal around her head began to break off and fire its own attacks at me. I found myself dodging twice as much now. I was beginning to run out of hope, when some stray debris suddenly collided with the crystal and Iris stumbled as if dizzy. That was all I needed to see. The crystal was the source. Apparently she had noticed too and began guarding the source of her power. However, I still had one trick up my sleeve.

"Hienkyaku!" In an instant I was behind her and I drew my saber. Before she could react I stuck my saber through the crystal, making her freeze. The crystal cracked and then shattered and the mech fell to the ground helplessly. I breathed a sigh of relief and began pondering on how to remove her from the mech. The pieces of the crystal startled me because they began to glow. I quickly moved away from the sudden energy output. What was going on? I had no clue. Waves of energy rushed from the pieces and went towards Iris. _What!? NO! The Maverick energy… it's… it's backfiring into the mech! It will…… _

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…

A large explosion rocked the room and I was thrown back by the shockwave. I didn't even wait for the dust to clear. The instant I regained my balance I rushed into the cloud and found that Iris wasn't at the spot of the explosion. I began looking around in case the explosion had thrown her too. My scanner picked up a low energy reading that was slowly going down. I panicked and ran towards the reading……… only to find Iris laying flat on her back. She wasn't badly damaged, but her energy was still dropping. I rushed to her as quickly as I could.

"Iris! Iris!" I stopped over her. She wasn't moving. "Iris…" Her eyes opened slowly and she turned her head to face me.

"Zero…" I got down on one knee to get closer to her.

"Hang in there Iris!"

"Please… Don't fight with Repliforce… if you come with us… we can live forever… in a world where only reploids exist." From this I learned that this was what she wanted… could she have attacked me… only to subdue me and bring me along?

"Iris… there will never be a world only for reploids… it's an intangible fantasy…"

"Yes… I know… But… I wanted to believe it…" She reached a hand towards me. "I wanted to live in a world meant only for reploids……… With you……" I clasped my hands around hers.

"Iris……" She then smiled at me… with the same beautiful smile I had fallen in love with from the moment I had met her by chance during a simple clean up mission.

"Zero… I love you……" I wanted to say it back, but before I could, her eyes closed, her head slumped away from me, and her smile disappeared. My scanner began to beep as it lost sight of her energy. Which meant only one thing, but I did not want to acknowledge it. I began to call to her, with a hopeless faith that made me believe my voice could reach her and pull her back to me.

"Iris!!! Iris!!!" I began to shake her gently. "Iris! ………" That was it… she was gone… For the first time in my life I felt the pain of loss… it kicked and scratched at my heart, causing an unbearable pain that began running down my spine. "No… this… this wasn't supposed to happen… this wasn't meant to happen… this shouldn't have happened……… why… why did you have to die……… why………" Then the pain hit its peak… and changed me forever… I picked her up in my arms and yelled as loud as I could. My voice echoed throughout the entire ship, filled with pain, grief, and misery. I kept yelling… releasing all the agony, anger, and sorrow………… until there was nothing left. I merely stood there holding her in my arms, tears streaming down my face.

When I finally built up the courage to set her down and let go, I noticed a blue hair band roll out of her hand and onto the floor.

--To be continued--

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No matter how many times I see the scene of Iris' death, it always has the same impact on me. I believe it to be the saddest moment in any megaman game, even though the dialouge could be better, it is still really sad. 

To tell you the truth i was getting a little tired of writing in the X universe. Yeah it was supposed to be a big part of this story line, but i prefer to write in the Zero universe. Next time we go back to the Zero universe and events begin to unfold little by little.

For those who have been waiting patiently, thank you for putting up with my lateness, to make up for it i made this long chapter for you.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	27. What Needs to be Done

Yes i got this chapter out faster and let me tell you it feels great to be able to write in the Megaman Zero time period again. Yes it is way shorter than ch 26 but then again that was 3 1/2 chapters in one, heh.

Anyway we return to the main timeline in the twenty seventh installment of Believe in Me.

Story

"Talking"

_Thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

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Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 27: What Needs to be Done

"I left her there… in that room. I left her there along with all of my emotions. I cast away everything and didn't look back. From that point the ship took off and I quickened my pace until I found and battled General. After defeating him I ran in to Sigma, who revealed that Iris' dark energy was his doing. Engulfed in rage I battled him until I had torn him to pieces. After I defeated him, the ship began to self-destruct and I escaped in a small craft. Upon returning I was greeted warmly by everybody, but they all quickly stood aside due to the dark gaze set upon my face. From that day forward I would never be the same."

As Zero wrapped up his story a dark cloud overhead broke loose. The rain rushed suddenly down, without thunder, without warning, but nobody moved. Everybody sat there in the rain, silent. So silent and still that you could not discern whether or not they were all statues. The rain lasted an hour and stopped as unexpectedly as it came. Eventually Harpuia rose from his seat and took to the air. Leviathan watched him go then decided to leave herself. Cerveau took Alouette by the hand and led her back to the base with Croir following behind. Again only Ciel and Zero remained. Ciel opened her mouth to speak to him, but she found no words to say. For once in her life she could not find a word of encouragement or a word of care, or any word for that matter that she could possibly say to Zero. It may have taken a while to summon, but she was always able to come up with **something**. The situation proved to be so great that she found herself beaten. She eventually gave up and stood from her seat with her eyes still fixed on Zero. She stayed still, clothes dripping from the rain, for another moment before finally leaving Zero to his thoughts not so often revisited.

Ciel went to her room first and changed out of her wet work uniform and into some casual clothing. As she exited her room she ran into Leviathan.

"Oh! Leviathan…"

"Ciel…" that was all that was said for a moment. After a brief silence, Leviathan began to talk. "Would you like to come to the indoor lounge with me?"

"Alright…" The two walked to the lounge in silence and eventually reached the desired room. They both sat down at a table and remained silent for a little longer.

"Ciel… what do you think about all this?" Ciel was reluctant to answer this question completely, but she knew she could trust Leviathan.

"Well… I was shocked from the moment he mentioned Iris, but the rest of the story just dug really deep."

"I know… to have such an unfortunate past… I do not think I could bare even half of what Zero has experienced."

"Once again it was Sigma who was behind the evil plot; he really did plague Zero throughout his life."

"It wasn't just Sigma this time though… Sigma started the Repliforce rebellion yes, but they acted on their own after that; it is unlike any other Maverick war I've heard of… Causing a non-maverick rebellion and working behind the scenes… I never knew they were once so intelligent…"

"Yes… and in the end Iris was torn between her family and the one she loved, I'd almost say she had it harder than Zero… but if she hadn't been under the control of the dark energy, there is a good possibility that she wouldn't have died…" Ciel gathered herself. "Um… Leviathan…?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think…… I……" She took a deep breath. "Do you think I have a chance at replacing Iris?"

"Ciel…?"

"I don't mean that I don't like her because she was with him… But do you think Zero could ever love somebody else?"

"I… I don't know…… He spoke about her with such passionate words and the way he described her was filled with emotion. Even though his expression never changed throughout the story I could sense the difference."

"Oh……"

"But that's just what I took from what I heard…… If you have to ask me I'd say that whether or not Zero finds love ever again… is totally up to you."

"Me…?"

"Yes… Ciel, you've worked with Zero for a long time now. I bet he see's more trust and influence in you than you realize. If anybody can help him regain himself or even help him find his lost emotions, it's you."

"I… see… your right. I need to try, but I just don't know how…"

"I'm sure it will come to you. It was by chance that Harpuia and I began to feel different about each other, and it was by chance that the events led us to be together. I believe that you will also have this chance, and it will come to you when the time is right. That is what I believe."

"Yes… thank you Leviathan. By the way… Where is Harpuia?"

"That's a good question. He took off somewhere and I haven't seen him since then."

Indeed Harpuia had taken off, but he hadn't gone far. He landed on the roof and was staring out at the sunset. Many thoughts occupied his mind; thoughts about the upcoming battle, the story of its beginnings, and how he was going to fit in, in terms of fighting.

_Those reploids were so powerful… but I was caught off guard. Perhaps if we could lure each one into a one on one fight… but do we heave enough? We only have three and from what I've seen and heard there are at least five…_

"Oh Harpuia there you are…"

"What is it Cerveau?"

"Leviathan is looking all over for you."

"You can send her up here I'm only pondering our current position."

"Speaking of which… what is your take on Zero's story?"

"A simple unfortunate turn of events where the consequences were amplified by a strong love. I've heard many stories of circumstances like that, but to be honest this one is the most sorrowful one I've heard."

"Yes. Seeing the effect it had on Zero it may be tough for him to fight."

"The will to battle is entirely up to him."

"Yes… I will send Leviathan up here."

"Alright." Harpuia gazed out into the sky as Cerveau left and began drawing possible strategies and situations in his head until the sound of Leviathans footsteps reached his ears.

"Harpy…"

"Have you talked with Ciel Levi?"

"Yes I have, and she will try to talk with Zero."

"Good."

"Do you think Zero will be able to fight?"

"It entirely depends on him. He already lost so much in his past… I doubt he is willing to lose any more. The weight he bares on his heart right now is extraordinary; it will be difficult for him to fight. That is, unless Ciel can rekindle his spirit with her soft kind words."

"So right now our chances of survival… depend on Ciel."

"Yes… I only pray she is up to the task."

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As daylight broke over the horizon, the resistance soldiers were already up and about as always. Ciel opened her eyes slowly and sat up in her bed. She stretched and yawned heavily with weighty eyelids. Because of everything that was revealed yesterday she had a hard time sleeping. She remained on her bed for a few moments before dragging herself off the bed and into her bathroom. Fifteen minutes passed before she emerged all cleaned up donning her usual clothes. As she walked the halls of the base, everything looked normal. Soldiers moving here to there, other workers doing their jobs, nothing is out of the ordinary.

_I wonder what Zero is doing right now? _Ciel wondered as she past the outdoor courtyard where they had all sat last night. She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and looked back into the courtyard. Zero was still sitting there. He hadn't moved from his spot.

"Zero!" She called to him as she ran towards him. He glanced in her direction, but faced downward again after seeing her. "Zero… have you been out here since yesterday?"

"Yes……" His reply was weak and quiet.

"Zero…… your still hurt from the incident in the city. You should go have Cerveau look at you."

"I'm fine." Ciel was beaten again. She began to fear that there would be no hope.

"No Zero." Ciel turned to see Croire. "You need to take care of yourself. I know this is all weighing heavy upon you, but you still need to take care of your own body. This is for your sake as well as ours." Zero remained silent. Ciel built up her courage and spoke quietly.

"Please… Zero…?" Zero closed his eyes and sighed.

"Alright…" He got up and slowly walked past them, disappearing through the courtyard entrance. Croire approached Ciel.

"Don't worry yourself. We still have a while until the attack so he has plenty of time to recover."

"Yes… I just hope he can…"

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"There, all done. How do you feel?"

"Better… thank you Cerveau…"

"Zero." Zero faced Cerveau. "We're all behind you here. No matter what happens in the next few days, we will be there to support you." Zero kept silent. "Everyone here has a goal to fulfill in this upcoming fight… we're all in it together."

"Yes…"

"Especially Ciel." Cerveau turned away and began typing at a terminal.

_Yes…_ _The past has been harsh to me, but I can't dwell on it forever. It may have its lasting effects, now that I've revisited, but I can't let that slow me down too much._ Zero moved from the table and headed out the door. _There are new things to protect, and they will be under my aegis as long as I have the will to keep going… But for now I need to clear my mind. Harpuia is already on the roof so I guess I'll head out to the city. _

Cerveau finished his work and opened the door to leave. In doing so he nearly walked into Ciel.

"Oh I'm sorry Ciel. What is it?"

"Is Zero still here?"

"No he just left, why?"

"Oh I just want to talk to him." Cerveau smiled to himself.

_Ciel is finally going to talk to him head on, I can tell without even asking her. This will definitely help lift Zero's spirit. _"Well he couldn't have gone far, try looking around some more." Ciel nodded and continued her search for Zero. She peeked into every possible location for her crimson knight, but he is nowhere to be found. She checked the training room.

"No I haven't seen him sorry." Leviathan didn't know. She scanned the lounge.

"No we've been in here for the past hour." Croire and Alouette had no idea. Her last stop was the roof; if he wasn't there Ciel would be completely stumped.

"I saw him leave for the city."

"The city!?"

"Yes he left not to long ago."

"Oh great… now I'll never find him."

"He probably went somewhere to sit and sort out his thoughts. If anywhere I would guess the large park in the center of the city."

"Hmm…… yeah I guess it's a possibility… Thank you Harpuia." As Ciel exited down the stairs Harpuia continued staring out into the sky. He had been up on the roof for the entirety of the last couple days, wondering where he and leviathan were going to fit in the upcoming battle, if they were strong enough, and if they were going to be able to repel five warriors with three.

_If Ciel can raise Zero's confidence enough, then three may be all we need to take them down… I hope you can do this Ciel. _

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…

…

Ciel stepped off of the resistance base shuttle and walked quickly through the city. The fast pace was mainly an attempt to avoid people crowding her. Being the founder of the resistance had made her famous when world peace was declared. Eventually she was in the park and she looked back and forth for a certain red reploid. _Oh I hope he's here… I really want to talk to him…_ She walked along the path as she continued searching the premise of the park. Not watching where she was going she walked right into a man with long blonde hair in a ponytail who wore a black leather jacket, a white under shirt, jeans, and a pair of shades.

"Oh! Excuse me I'm sorry…"

"Ciel?"

---To be Continued---

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Oh boy i hope you guys are ready for a big Zero Ciel scene. It'll be more profound than it will be fluffy, but don't worry that will come. the scene will seem similar to one from Ruroni Kenshin volume 21 but that is only the influence for the scene, i'm only using it as a model to build my own version. (So i'm not stealing from you, Watsuki sensei!) yes it will be similar but the format and style shall be my own.

Hope your looking forward to it!

Thanks too all those who have put up with me and my odd schedual changes!

Please read and Review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	28. What You Really Want to Say

Oh wow! Did i actually manage to finish another chapter in less than a week!? UNHEARD OF! ehehheheh... anyway.

Yeah i was so eager to right this chapter because of the final scene was a challenge worth fighting. If you really wanted to know it took my a whole hour to get the words right and sound right in the long quote you will soon read. but enough talk, time for the usual set up.

This is the twenty-eighth installment of Believe in me.

Story

"Talking"

_Thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 28: What You Really Want To Say

Colonel sat in a swivel chair, staring out a window into the sunset. Only a few more days before the attack and he had everything planned out. _You will suffer Zero. You will suffer as I have. _The sound of a door hissing open broke the dead silence of the dark room.

"Sir." A tall silhouette appeared in the dimly lit area.

"What is it?"

"I have taken it upon myself to add three more resurrected soldiers to our ranks."

"We don't need them."

"With all do respect sir we have no idea the power we're up agai…"

"I know Zero and his power. I will accept these new soldiers, but next time check in with me before making such decisions. **I **am in command here and I rebuilt you to follow my orders, understood?"

"Y…Yes sir…"

"Good."

"By the way… what exactly is that project he is working on?"

"He is a master of mechanical battle mechs, you can put the pieces together."

"Ah! So your strategy is to whittle away at Zero so you may finish him off yourself?"

"No."

"Hm?"

"I could finish off Zero whenever I want to."

"Then… why…?"

"Why would I rebuild you along with the others? It's simple. I want Zero to realize that he can't protect everything. He will be outnumbered and unable to save everyone. This is how he will suffer."

"I see… well I will return to my work."

"Very well." The figure exited the room. There were a couple things he did not mention to the figure. _Soon he will be done with my special device as well, and then the preparations will be complete! Heh… just wait Zero, I'll make you feel that unbearable pain once more………Sister… revenge is at hand……_

…

…

…

…

"I just contacted Neige…" began Cerveau as he ended the communication on the terminal. "She says she'll do anything she can to help us."

"I just don't know if that will be enough though." Harpuia stared at the ground. "For all we know there could be even more high class reploids at Colonel's disposal than we think." He ran many options through his head, but none seemed to fit the bill. _This could truly be hopless…_

"I mentioned that to her too actually, and she said she may have something ready in time to help us."

"Whatever it is, I hope it's something that can give us an edge in this seemingly impossible scenario."

"I'm sure she'll be able to help us Harpy…" Leviathan stepped to his side. "We just have to believe in her and her help."

"I know Levi, but I can't shake the feeling that we're going to be outnumbered."

Outside the base a good mile away on a hilly landscape, two figures stood atop the hill facing the base.

"Do you think we should help them?"

"I think my idiot brother should be able to handle this himself."

"Just as callous as ever eh?"

"Wasn't it you who said you like to observe the world and the outcomes?"

"I also said I step in from time to time, but I stay out of sight."

"Well if you like being a shadow in the background then why are you suggesting we help?"

"Two reasons. One, they face opponents who, like us, do not belong in the shaping of this time period, so we should step in and prevent them from misshaping it. And two, if Zero is killed here, the earths champion will be gone forever and nobody will be there to defend against possible threats in the future."

"You said yourself that we shouldn't interfere with the events of the present."

"Yes, but I believe we should stop others from the past from doing the same."

"Your logic is mind bending, but in the end you always seem to be right. It's easy to see that you were the first. Alright, you win. If things look grim for them, we will step in and lend a hand."

"I always knew there was a sense of justice under that scowl of yours."

"Save it, ass."

"Heh…"

…

…

…

…

…

"Ciel?" Ciel froze and looked up. She had seen that hair before. The man removed his sunglasses. "What are you doing out here?" She looked right into the deep blue eyes. There was no mistaking it.

"Z…Z…Zero?!" Zero was confused for a moment, but caught on.

"Oh! You've never seen me in this outfit before have you?"

"No… I… I've never seen you without your armor or helmet…"

"Heh… well this is my casual look." Zero smiled. Ciel looked him up and down, blushing. He looked nothing like a reploid now; in fact she liked this look a little more than she wanted him to know. But there was something else, something she thought she should've noticed more than she did. It was the smile! Zero smiled! He had smiled when he came back from the battle with Sigma, but he still had his serious glare. This time it was a casual smile. This warmed Ciel's heart, but when she realized she was still looking him up and down she quickly stopped herself before he could notice.

"Uh… yeah! I didn't recognize you…"

"Want to walk with me?" Zero began to turn slightly. Ciel was flabbergasted. This couldn't be Zero… he was acting so much different.

"Um… Zero…"

"Yes?"

"Why the sudden…?" She didn't quite know how to put the question into words, but he understood before she had a chance.

"I decided it wasn't a good idea to keep my emotions bottled up any more. I came to the park to clear my head and think it over. Trying to regain my emotions slowly was the best way I could think of in terms of dealing with this crisis and the effects its history has had on me."

"Oh… I hope I didn't interrupt you."

"No… I was actually about to head back, sorry for putting you through all that trouble to find me." Ciel walked beside him only slightly behind, she wanted to say so many things to him, she wanted to ask him so many questions, but ultimately there was one thing she really wanted to do. Confession is always difficult whether it be a lie, a realization, a folly, or love. She didn't know if she wanted to flat out say, I love you, which would just be awkward. There had to be a way to give a hint without being too forward, but it wasn't coming to her. Zero too had things going through his mind as they walked. It was so hard to let go of Iris in the past and now he found himself trying to rid his mind of past pains once more. Pushing the thought aside he began thinking about the current situation he was in. Ciel had come all the way out to the city park just to find him. What were her intentions? He did not know. It must be important, either that or she was worried because he had suddenly disappeared. She had a tendency to worry about him, but there was a difference this time. Perhaps his attempt to regain his emotions allowed him to see deeper into Ciel's actions, but he could not tell for sure. Ciel decided it was time to end the silence, she wasn't quite sure how she was going to go about it, but the silence was killing her.

"Hey Z…"

"Hey look it's Ciel!" Ciel was cut off by the voices of teenagers across the grass of the park. She turned to see two guys and a girl pointing in her direction.

"She's the one who started this city!"

"No way!"

"Yeah!" Zero let out a quiet chuckle.

"It seems that you're well known." Ciel was half annoyed and half relieved that she was interrupted.

"I guess, but it makes it difficult to walk in public sometimes…" Suddenly the teenagers spoke again.

"Hey look! That guy next to her! Long blonde hair. And he's with Ciel! That must be Zero!"

"What I thought Zero was a red armored reploid."

"Reploids have casual looks too you know."

"That must be him! That's really Zero, the legendary Reploid!"

"Awsome!"

Ciel smiled, "It seems that you're well known." She said back to Zero. "Even if you're disguised, some people could figure it out. You have many people who admire you and follow your example."

"Huh."

"It's only natural for people to praise you. I know you never took much credit for your actions, but people still gave you a lot."

"So that's how it is…"

"Zero, you've done so much for these people, the world… and for me. People like to shout thank you at me for creating this world, but most of the thanks go to you for all the fighting and effort you put into creating this new world peace. Hopefully this peace will continue and go on forever."

"Yes that would be nice……………………………… but it will never be that way." Zero turned and began walking. Ciel was surprised by the comment and immediately was curious.

"What…?"

"It is true… the world has changed, lives have changed, but people will never change. I don't just mean humans; reploids are just as viable for this." Zero stopped after three paces and lifted his head slightly. "No matter how much peace or happiness we manage to create there will always be someone. There will always be somebody who craves power, somebody overcome with temptation, somebody with greedy passion. There will never be a day where everybody wishes to live in harmony and equality. Not only that, but things will change, just as things changed when this city is built. The current of the river changed and time began to flow to a larger body of water, but there will be a point where heavy rains overflow that water, creating another river and another change, who knows when, where, or why, but it will be inevitable. It is a simple as flipping a coin, it may turn out better or it may turn out worse, there is no actual way to ever tell how things will change. Every beginning has an end and every end sparks a new beginning. It may be difficult to begin anew, but that's life. It may be sad to let go of the past, but that's just how it is. The winds of time never stop blowing, and changes in the wind have to be dealt with." They were both silent for a moment as a small breeze blew past them, catching their hair and swinging it softly. Ciel knew Zero was right.

_How could I be so naïve? Of course that's the way things are. Peace was obtained, but it's impossible for everybody in the world to be on the same terms with each other. Things will always be changing no matter what we try to do about it. But…_

"But…" This was it Ciel was going to finally say what she really wanted to say.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"I hope that… we will always be together…" Zero turned and faced Ciel with a surprised look. "I hope that…… never changes……" A heavy blush appeared across her face. Her heart beat furiously. Zero was lost for words. Despite the long depressing speech he had just made, Ciel wanted to defy it and always be with him no matter what changes occured. Ciel looked down once the silence began to last. She began to think she was a little too straight forward. Suddenly something happened. Ciel couldn't believe it happened, but it did. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked to see Zero's hand, and then turned her head to see Zero on her opposite side.

"Do you remember Ciel……? When I came back from the battle with Sigma, I was smiling……" The breeze suddenly stopped along with the wind all together. "…I smiled because I knew that I had finally given you the opportunity to create a better world… that was the first time I had smiled since the days of Repliforce's attack."

"Really?"

"Yes… and I too hope that we are never separated… wouldn't that be nice?" Ciel was still blushing madly, but she smiled. Happiness had filled her heart and she felt safe with Zero close to her.

"Yes… It would be wonderful…"

---To be continued---

* * *

Ah... i'm really proud of that last scene... as i said before it was going to be like the scene from volume 21 of Ruroni Kenshin, but i molded my own style around it to create a replica that has it's own impact and original status, especially Zero's long quote. I hope you enjoyed it! Things are going to start heating up as we draw near the battle!

Once again thank you to all those who read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	29. Promises

Woo next chapter! Not much to be said about this. i will be working as much as i can as usual.

This is the twenty-ninth installment of Believe in Me. Makeing the Thirtieth the start of the battles. no i didn't plan it that way, it's just ironic.

Story

"Talking"

_Thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 29: Promises

When nervous about an upcoming event, the time between it and the present seems to fly by like a bullet. Time did just that at the resistance base. Before anyone could think about the inevitable approaching conflict, only one day remained. All the workers and soldiers were bustling about the complex making ready for the attack. In the command center Zero, Ciel, Cerveau, Harpuia, and Leviathan sat in a circle around a projection of the resistance base in the middle of a round table.

"If we station soldiers on the ramparts along these key areas…" Cerveau began as he pushed buttons to highlight points on the image. Harpuia quickly cut him off.

"They'd be dead men… the skill of the enemy that we face is of high caliber, we'd only be adding avoidable casualties."

"In that case…" Ciel pressed a combination of keys, "…We'll clear the ramparts and move every body into the base, leaving you three to do battle within the area without worrying about any soldiers. Any damage to the base can easily be repaired, so you don't have to worry about the ramparts. In fact you could use the ramparts to your advantage."

"We'll still have to be careful about the main building though…" Zero pointed towards the diagram. "I know this base has been through a lot but we should avoid any damage that could possibly cause harm to those within." Everybody nodded in agreement and the meeting came to a close. The battle was drawing closer, and last minute preparations were to be completed.

Harpuia sat outside in the area cursed by Zero's story. He wanted a quiet place to run his final check on his weapons. He examined each Saber carefully from tip of the hilt to tip of the blade. Leviathan watched him from the doorway to the base.

_Are you wondering as I am Harpy? Do questions to which you know not the answers haunt your mind as well? _She sighed to herself. She wanted to go talk to him about it, but she also didn't want to disturb his preparation.

"Is something on your mind Levi?" She jumped at his sudden statement. She stepped out of the doorway and out into the courtyard.

"How did you…"

"You and I are closely linked Levi… It was either you come to me or I come to you, but I knew it would've happened eventually one way or the other."

"But, then…"

"I heard you sigh."

"Oh…" Harpuia put down his saber and faced her.

"Are you wondering if we will only be in Zero's way?"

"Yes… among other things as well…"

"Like what?"

"We face enemies that all gave Zero trouble in the past… Do we even stand the slightest chance?" Harpuia remained silent. "I mean, we were defeated utterly when they attacked the city… Do we even have a place in this battle? Not to mention we have no part in its origin."

"It's incredible…"

"What is?"

"The way we think alike… I too have thought this over, but have reached no conclusions. One difference about this battle though, is the fact that the attack is planned. Those cowards took us by surprise in the city. Unfortunately, if I run into that tall reploid again, as much as I want revenge, I doubt I could match a fraction of his true speed."

"I guess that means we are left with only one thing."

"What is that?" Leviathan sat down next to Harpuia and took his hand in hers.

"We can only believe in each other." Harpuia stared into her eyes and a small smile appeared on his face. "Make me a promise…… Sage?"

"Of course…… Fairy."

"If I make it through alive, will you as well?"

"I promise."

…

…

…

…

Zero stared off into the sunset as a soft cool breeze caught his ponytail, playing with it as it waved. He was on the roof of the base. (Again.) However, instead of his usual pose against the walls of the air conditioning unit, he was sitting on the ground up against the side of the stair case entrance. He had removed his helmet, exposing his blonde hair and pony tail as he watched the sunset one last time before the confrontation. He heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. The light steps meant one of three people, Leviathan, Alouette, or Ciel. Zero could detect Leviathan's energy close to Harpuia, and Alouette was scared of the roof, so there was only one possibility.

"Zero…?"

"Right here." Ciel shut the door and walked around it to find him sitting. It was strange for her to see him like that, in the past he was always standing the same way, in the same place, looking in the same direction. She sat down next to him and looked out into the sunset as well.

"I figured you'd be up here."

"Figured?"

"Well, if I can't find you in five minutes I know where to always look." She giggled lightly. Zero smiled.

"Well… nothing beats the roof when it comes to a quiet place for thinking." Ciel tucked her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Zero… I'm afraid…" Zero averted his eyes from the sunset to her. "This is the first time I've fought an enemy that isn't set against me… This enemy only wants you and for some reason I can't figure anything out."

"This is the first battle you will witness that has nothing to do with you."

"Yes… but I feel useless…"

"How so?"

"I've never been able to fight. I've always been behind the lines where it is safe… sometimes… sending you, Harpuia, and Leviathan out into action made me feel responsible for anything and everything that happened to all of you. It just seems like you were always able to fight for me, but I would never be able to fight for you."

"There is no need to worry about that… people choose their battles, you've chosen yours and I've chosen mine, as for the fighting, you chose and fought your battled your own way. Fighting physically is not the only way." Ciel though over those words carefully. "You will not need to worry about a thing tomorrow. This time the fight was caused by me, so anything that happens to anybody will fall onto my shoulders and mine alone." Ciel's thoughts shifted immediately, she didn't want to hear Zero say that.

"I can't let you bare that!" Ciel stood up and walked a couple paces away. "I can't let you take all the blame for possible casualties… I…" Ciel heard Zero rise and approach her. "I don't want you to bear any more… after all you've been through…" Zero knew she was talking about the unfortunate events that had been revealed through his story of the past.

"But… Ciel… It…" He gathered himself. "It is a burden I am willing to bare."

"Zero…"

"I've been holding heavy responsibilities on my back my whole life; this will be the last, hopefully."

"Zero! You need to think of yourself as well!" Zero didn't quite follow her, which he made apparent by the blank face he wore. "I know you're considerate… I know you never put yourself before others… But that isn't the bad thing… you never give thought to your own state!" Zero didn't know what to say. It was the way things had always been with him, so the words coming from Ciel's voice now were things he had never put any thought into. None the less, Zero tilted his head down.

"I see where you are going Ciel… but it's what I was built for… I'm sure Harpuia would say the same thing…" The Ciel made a bold move… if not for the circumstances; Ciel would have never entered the "zone". She moved closer to him, their faces no more than a foot apart.

"No! I don't care!" She grabbed his forearms. "Zero please listens to me!" She was almost shouting. "You need to look after yourself as well! All the fighting for peace and humanity would mean nothing if you let yourself waste away in the process! Harpuia would not agree with you! I'm sure he knows how important it is to look after himself! He has people that are important to him and people that he is important to!" Zero couldn't believe how straight forward Ciel was being, but, as much as he wanted to deny everything she was saying, he knew she was right. She let her head droop as she continued, "You are just like Harpuia…" Zero noticed a small tear run down her face.

"Ciel…?" She looked up at him with her lightly watered eyes,

"You have things to come back to… And…" She squeezed his arms. "And… you have people that you are important to… people that can't live without you…" Then something sprung into Zero's mind.

"_I hope you have also realized why I used this situation to awaken the power."_

"_I know… because I too have figured it out; that the will to live is the most powerful driving force."_

"_Good… you aren't as dumb as I thought."_

…

…

…

…

"_Think not of it… the choices we make throughout our lives have their reasons behind them… I chose love over grudges… as did you…"_

"_I think I should go back to the resistance base."_

"_Zero… No matter what happens never forget the lessons I taught you."_

As the conversations from the not so distant past played back through Zero's head he came forward and locked Ciel in a warm embrace. Ciel's tears immediately stopped and the redness of her eyes transformed into a blush. _Brother…_ Zero thought. _What you taught me held more wisdom than I could at first see…… _

"I will fight and live Ciel…" Ciel snapped back to reality and listened to Zero. "No matter what happens tomorrow, I will not be killed and neither will anyone else. Everybody will survive… But most importantly… you will be protected from any harm… I promise."

"Oh… Zero…" She began to cry once more, but the tears were not those of concern, but those of happiness. She felt as though she was getting through to Zero and maybe, just maybe, she could finally tell him afterward.

Neither were in the mood to separate, in fact both were enjoying the close company of the other. Ciel was within Zero's arms, the only place she ever truly wanted to be, and Zero was in a position he had long forgotten the happiness of. The two stayed together until the sunset slowly disappeared over the horizon, then finally breaking apart to finalize their preparations, for the next day was going to put promises to the test.

…

…

…

…

…

The sun rose gently over the horizon, shining the bright morning light upon the dark silence of the Resistance base. All civilians and soldiers were tucked safely away in the underground bunkers, leaving only six above. Ciel, Cerveau, and Croire had stationed themselves in the security building next to the main gate, within the large walls. These three were meant for healing purposes. Cerveau had set up two medical tables in case of emergency… The other three… stood steadfast inside the large entrance courtyard near the main gate. Leviathan, Harpuia, and Zero waited patiently, weapons in hand and ready to fight.

"Are you two ready?" Zero questioned his comrades.

"Of course." Zero turn to Leviathan. "We'll support you the best we can."

"Feh… Zero can worry about his own skin… I have some special payback to attend to." Zero chuckled at Harpuia's comment.

"Heh… just watch your back then tough guy." Zero looked over his shoulder to see Ciel staring out into the soon to be battlefield. Zero knew what she was thinking. _Don't worry Ciel… I will take care of myself and be wary of my own condition… but most of all I won't allow them to get near you. _A loud beep from Zero's scanner interrupted his thoughts. "Energy readings closing in!" Harpuia's sensors suddenly went off.

"I've picked them up too… but… wait… what the…" Then Leviathans sensors caught them.

"Wait… Harpy… something isn't right! These signatures……"

"How many…… Levi there are…" Harpuia and Leviathan's sensors were picking up more and more signals. Zero was silent, his eyes closed and mind prepping for battle. His eyes opened when he found his focus and he took a stance with his saber ready for attack.

"There are eight signatures……"

---To be continued---

* * *

Alright! the stage is set and the cards have been dealth, how exactly are the three warriors going to fight off eight? Well i guess you'll find out next time.

To tell you all the truth this chapter was originally just going to be a filler because i wanted to put in a couple more things before the battle. Mainly the conversation between Harpuia and Leviathan. That scene had some research put into it. I've heard that in Japan calling somebody by their first name is only done with family, close friends, and loved ones. So i inrtegrated a bit of that culture into the scene where the two of them call each other by their first names instead of their usual nicknames for each other. The scene between Zero and Ciel was going to be just another, "oh ciel comes to the roof to find zero and talk to him briefly" scene, but halfway through writing it i decided to delete it all and give this scene for power and give it a reason.

So there you have it!

Once again i thank all those who review this story, you guys are great.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	30. Old Foes

Soooooo muuuuuch wooooork... i've been busy as of late, lots of things in terms of college, summer reading, football training, and now the football season starting too. THE STORY MUST GO ON HOWEVER. and it will, i'm going to see this story all the way to the end and thats a promise to everyone.

After a long wait due to life work, i give you the thirtieth, yes i've hit thirty, the thirtieth installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 30: Old Foes

"EIGHT!?" Harpuia counted the signatures on his scanner as sweat began to roll down his face. "Five we could have handled but eight?!"

"Calm down Harpuia!" Harpuia turned to Zero. "I know each and every one of them. They all have their strengths and weaknesses; if we exploit the weaknesses we still have a chance.

"But… that's only assuming they don't attack all at once." Leviathan pointed out. Zero was too reluctant to admit it, but he was beginning to wonder if they had a chance as well.

"There's no time to think about it." Harpuia's and Leviathan's scanner began beeping and they looked up at the rampart. Zero too looked in the direction. "They're here." Colonel had perched himself atop the corner section of the rampart and gazed down at Zero. To his sides across the ramparts, seven reploids, each a remnant from Zero's past. Zero went down the line and named each one to his comrades. The far left was a reploid of stocky build; he was yellow, red, and orange with sinister eyes. He held a spiked ball attached to a chain connected to his back. "Violen." To the right was a small reploid perched upon a floating platform. He wore a cloak around his neck; his red eyes glowed with a sly expression. "Serges." Shifting his gaze over again, Zero caught sight of a tall, purple reploid with his hands tucked behind his back. "To complete the X hunters is Agile."

"Him…" Harpuia recognized Agile, causing his grip on his sabers to tighten. Passing Colonel Zero looked at the short, blue reploid with a shoulder cannon standing near Colonel's side.

"Vile… again." Vile had plagued Zero many a time in the long story of his past. Zero's vision came upon a stocky purple reploid with a spike slicked backward on his helmet. "Mac…"

"That guy…" Leviathan remembered Mac, the one who could disappear and reappear at will. Two remained.

"Bit…" Zero said the name of the small golden reploid next to Mac. "And finally, Byte." A large brute of a reploid to the right of Bit. He was red and turquoise colored and had the look of a fist fighter. Zero repositioned his eyes back to Colonel. "So you're willing to disrespect the dead just for a revenge plot? Colonel?"

"Don't lecture me. I brought them here because they all have little bone to pick with you. Besides… 3 on one would have been unfair… for me."

"Yeah and Eight on three **is **fair." Harpuia mumbled under his breath.

"Since they are all on edge right now I guess I will send them out to fight." He turned his head from side to side, running his eyes across his force of rebuilt reploids. "We'll make a game of this. Vile, Agile, and Bit… you've been in my service the longest, go ahead and pick your targets." Colonel turned back to Zero, Harpuia, and Leviathan. "I'll send them in depending on who is still able to fight… if you manage to survive all of them… then I will grant you two an honorable warrior's death…" He explained as he eyed Harpuia and Leviathan. "You on the other hand." His gaze shifted back to Zero. "I don't expect any of them to beat you, otherwise I'll be disappointed… heh… your survival reward will be the most painful torture imaginable!"

"Wow… he really doesn't like you Zero, I can tell that much." Leviathan joked as she tightened her grip on her halberd.

"Enough talking…" Zero took a stance. "They are going to attack…… now!" Bit and Agile sprung toward them. Zero stood his ground as the two whisked right by him. Bit angled toward Leviathan and Agile toward Harpuia. The two battles began. Vile dropped to the ground a few paces from Zero. "You never stay, dead do you Vile?"

"Heh… look who's talking…" Harpuia and Agile zoomed past in between them, but neither of them moved an inch.

"So are you going to fight me straight up this time? Or are you going to hide like a terrified rabbit in one of your ride armors again?" Zero deflected a stray fireball from Bit with his saber.

"Say what you will… I was programmed to operate ride armors to their full capacity…" Vile pressed two buttons on his wrist and a teleport beam flashed next to him. He jumped into the air and landed in the battle mech as the beam faded. The massive armor rose from the ground, towering over Zero by about six feet.

"Ah… the Goliath. Vile I've beaten this machine before."

"That's where you are wrong…" The Mech moved swiftly and was behind Zero in an instant. "This isn't the Goliath… this is my newest invention in the world of battle mechs!" Zero kicked off the ground to safety as a giant fist crushed the area where he once stood. Zero caught a glimps of the full armor was the dust cleared… it really wasn't the Goliath. It was the same size, but painted blue and it had fists instead of spikes, plus no blaster cannons.

"You can't hope to win with a mech that only punches."

"I know… that's why I'll do this!" one of the fists mechanically transformed into a missile launcher, and fired three missiles. Zero quickly called his buster and took them out.

"Those missiles… from Hawk?!"

"Yes… you remember well… these launchers are based on the Hawk armor design… I can also do this!" the back plate of the ride armor shifted and a jet booster moved out. The Mech took to the air and transformed its arms into spike form with three spikes on each arm.

"He's mixing Hawk with Rabbit?!" The spikes began to spin and the mech lunged forward, Zero dodged, but the spikes detached from the fist and flew toward him, Zero was taken by surprise as he tried to dodge to the left, escaping with a light gash on his side. "No… not Rabbit… you mixed Hawk with Kangaroo!"

(Alright I know there will be some questions here so I'll answer. Rabbit is the name of the ride armor in Megaman X 2 (it has spikes where fists would be). Hawk (can hover and fire missles), Kangaroo (like rabbit only it has three spikes on the fists and instead of charging the spinner moves forward on a chain), Chimera (Simple mech with fists it uses to punch things), and Frog (only mech that can go in water had propellers and torpedoes) are the useable ride armor's in Megaman X 3. Goliath (huge mech with spike fists and cannons hidden in the center of the fists.) is Vile's personal, and huge, Ride armor that he uses to fight you in the later stages of Megaman X 3 IF you didn't kill him earlier on in the game. I hope that cleared up any confusion! On with the battle! Flash)

"This mech can mimic all the ride armors from the past, you already saw Chimera mode… and this can even mimic Frog… but the best part is I can mix the powers of each one… not to mention I also used state of the art technology to give this armor speed and power beyond all other known ride armors! I call it… Titan!" Vile laughed to himself under the cover of his helmet, he was confident that not even Zero could best his new machinery. But Zero only scoffed at him.

"Feh… no matter what fancy name you give it… you are just a little boy that likes to play with toys…" Zero took a battle stance. "… You better get ready… Because the bully is coming to break your toys…"

…

…

"HYAAA!!!!" Harpuia pressed a formidable offensive of fast saber strokes at his opponent, but fast happened to be a synonym of his enemy's name. Agile made it seem easy to block all the strokes as he matched Harpuia's quick footwork and swordsmanship with his red saber. Harpuia ended his attack with a powerful downward swing using both sabers to double the power. He thought the blow landed, in fact he could see the sabers make contact, or so he thought. Agile had displaced the brief instant before the sabers connected and evaded in the blink of a frantic eye.

"Your no fun…" Harpuia looked to his left while panting. "… so slow… I could fight you without legs."

"We could arrange that you know…" Harpuia twirled his sabers and locked them into a battle stance.

"Oh please do show me some tricks… I enjoy dodging things I've never seen before."

"Shut up!" Harpuia fired three sonic booms toward Agile. Agile stood still as each went right through him. "What…!?"

"Please tell me that isn't the best you've got." The ground around the base of Agile's feet sizzled and little bits of smoke rose from the area.

_He's… just… too damn fast! _Harpuia was paging through the manual of options he had left in his head, hoping to find something or at least some way to beat him. _Wait! The bloody tornado would work…… but… I need time to build up to power… time I lack at the moment._

"Here why don't I show you a **real** saber beam?" Agile lifted his saber hilt to his eyes, angling the blade slightly downward. Harpuia switched to a defensive stance and waited for the attack. Agile suddenly spun around, the tip of his saber skidded across the ground, once facing forward again he leaped high into the air, cutting the air with a massive upward swing. This produced a very large sword beam that hurled toward Harpuia. He barely managed to dodge and was ready for a counter attack, when more of the enormous waves approached at a high velocity. Because of their size, Harpuia could not fully dodge them, and suffered two small cuts on his arms, plus a gash on his right leg. "See?"

_Alright… this guy is starting to piss me off… I have to use the bloody tornado, but how?_

…

…

"Whoa!" Leviathan dodged a stun ring as she flew, advancing upon he golden opponent. He too was heading for her, firing many projectiles her way. When she was within range of attack she swung horizontally at Bit. He quickly called a pink wrist blade to block the attack and the two locked in place. "You can't hope to beat me using a single tonfa."

"You wound me to believe that I would not know such a thing." They broke off into battle stances. "Who said I was going to use this blade to attack?"

"What?" Leviathan's bewilderment had to wait as she dodged three fireballs. She kicked off her landing position and swung down upon Bit. The wrist blade once again appeared and blocked the attack.

"I use the small blade as a defense… and attack with projectiles!" He jumped foreward, knocking Leviathan off balance and threw a fireball right into her chest, making her fly backward and to the ground. "It may take a while with you due to your toughness, but I will whittle away at you with attacks from a distance!"

"You are not the only one with ranged attacks..." Leviathan rose from the ground and recalled her halberd. "If this is the way you want to play, then I'll fight fire with ice!"

"Your pointless babbling annoys me!" Bit hurled a barrage of fireballs in Leviathan's direction. She concentrated her power and blue spheres of energy appeared in her hands.

"Freezer beam!" Leviathan thrust one hand forward and a focused beam of ice elemental energy flowed forth to oppose the fireballs. The beam collided with its target and the opposite elements cancelled each other out. She followed by reaching with the other hand and took out another. This process was repeated until Bit stopped his assault.

"I guess you aren't half bad… this could get interesting…"

…

…

"How long to you think you can keep running?" Vile taunted Zero as he struck the ground with the mech's massive fist. Zero moved nimbly and kept light on his feet to stay just out of Titan's range.

"At least…" Zero dodged a missile, "…I'm not hiding…" He sidestepped as the chain arm whisked past him, "…within a massive ride armor!"

"So? I don't care how I go about it, as long as you are dead afterward!" Zero jumped over the mech as it punched forward, but to his surprise, the mech displayed tremendous speed by thrusting the other arm up, snatching him out of the air and throwing him to the ground.

"Grrrgh…"

"HAHAHA!!! Come on! Get up! Let's have some more fun!" The mech stuck out a hand and provoked the crimson clad warrior to attack. Zero rose from the ground and took a battle stance.

_Alright… a ride armor's main weakness is the brief instant between command and action from pilot to machine. From what I've seen, it takes .0152 seconds for Vile to input a command and .00835 seconds for Titan to respond… if I can discern that interval… I can attack in that instant._ Zero kicked off the ground to the side as Vile charged forward with a spike punch. The mech skidded top a stop, turned in Zero's direction, and fired its jet pack boosters. The spike arm turned into a fist.

"I have you now Zero!" Zero watched as the mech pulled back its fist.

_Wait for it……_ Zero saw Vile's hand move ever so slightly. _NOW!_ Zero dashed forward and swung his saber right into the arm that wasn't punching, but to his surprise, the saber stopped. _What?! The saber is…vibrating? _

"Surprised Zero? The armor of Titan is made of reinforced woven titanium strands, but that's not the trick. There is a power cell within the armor that sends pulses throughout the systems, causing the whole mech to vibrate. The vibrations match the frequency of energy sabers. You may as well be hitting a brick wall with a metal pole." Zero tried to create distance, but he was too far into the zone. "Thank you for stepping in my range! Here's your free gift!" The arm turned into a spike hand and Vile drove it into Zero, the spikes only shallowly pierced Zero's armor, but he got caught on the spikes. Vile spun the blades, making Zero create a trench in the ground as he spun and finished off the attack by launching the spike arm into the wall of the base.

"ZERO!!!!!!!" Ciel witnessed the entire attack. Her hands were clasped together over her heart, keeping hope alive the best they could. Vile retracted the spike arm as Zero struggled to pick himself off the ground, he coughed as he slowly rose, losing some fluids into his hands.

"That looks bad; he must have hurt an internal system…" Croir began. "We need to give him medical attention!"

"We can't just run out there we'll be killed!" Cerveau grabbed the cyber elf by the arm, preventing her from rushing into the fray.

"But…"

"Don't worry." He let go of Croire. "Don't forget it's Zero… once he takes this guy down we can help him… he'll be fine… I hope."

"Feeling a little groggy over there?" Vile continued the taunts. "This armor is impenetrable… you cannot hope to defeat me!" Zero cracked his neck and spat on the ground, but didn't speak. He only took his battle stance and rocketed toward the Mech. Vile saw Zero prep his saber for a strike and snickered to himself. "Why do you even try when you know the attempt will be futile!?" Zero suddenly changed from a swing to a head on thrust aiming for the same arm he targeted before. Vile kept a smile under his helmet, but it was soon wiped away. _What is he…?_ Zero activated his booster and drove the tip of the saber into the point he had previously attacked. The vibrations pulsed through Zero, but he refused to cease. A few sparks lifted from the collision and zero was soon standing behind the mech and a large mechanical arm landed next to him. Vile was bewildered. "How? What did you do?" He turned the mech around to face Zero.

"I focused all my energy into a single strike and used the tip of the saber to attack an extremely small area. Your little frequency shielding couldn't handle such concentrated pressure, thus it was unable to stop the attack." Vile began to panic.

"T…This means nothing!" He grabbed the controls. "I still have the advantage and I will…" He stopped, frozen in place as he realized the mech wasn't moving. "Why won't it move? What did you do?!" Vile noticed that Zero's left arm was his Z-buster.

"I see you noticed my old weapon here… to put it simply, the instant the arm was removed, I also fired a small plasma blast into the inner machinery of your toy. By your current situation I'd say I fried a few circuits… but enough about that… are you going to come out and fight for real now?" Vile looked back and forth frantically, he was out of options. He lowered himself into the mech and closed a hatch on the top.

"I will not be defeated, the vibration shielding is still active, and you won't be able to pierce through the main body section of the mech. I will repair the systems and fight again!"

"You are nothing but a coward even in the end."

"I don't care, say whatever you want!"

"I'll DO whatever I want as well… I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this before my fight with Colonel. It takes up energy really quickly and using it on you would be a waste. However, if you are going to prolong this battle by hiding, then you leave me no choice." Vile's sensors suddenly picked up a massive surge of energy.

"What? What are you doing?" Vile was taken by surprise by a sudden jolt that threw him to the wall of the inner compartment. He looked back and forth then saw a saber cut completely through the mech. As the two pieces of the armor split he could see outside, and he now knew he was high in the air. Pieces of the armor began to break off from the shock, and the pieces landed in a pile on top of Vile as the mech came down hard to the ground. "Ugh……" Vile opened his eyes, stuck under the now many pieces of his own work. He spotted Zero a few paces away… his hair had turned silver and his armor was black.

--- To be continued---

* * *

Zero reveals his true power at last, im sure some of you were wondering when he would. How will this impact the battles? Can Zero keep fighting even though he took quite a blow from Vile? How will Harpuia and Leviathan fair? Will help arrive? and just what was Neige's plan to help? all of these questions will be answered in the next chapter! 

I would like to thank Chibi-BB over on Deviant art for the nice artwork inspired by the story. Go take a look it's really nice.

That will be all for now i guess... thanks once again to all those who read and those who review the story!

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	31. Old Allies

oy... i've had absolutly NO time to write since school started... First semester senior year homework plus football and i'm toast.

really though, i've been trying, it's just hard to get a lot done when i've so many other things to focus on. I apologize for the whole month of keeping you all waiting.

anyway, here is the thiry-first installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

(sorry for the long wait!)

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 31: Old Allies

Vile coughed under the weight of Titan's wreckage and stared up at Zero. His vision was blurry due to dizziness, but he could discern the black armor and silver hair.

"So… you were never… even giving it your all…"

"I told you… I did not wish to waste my energy reserves on you. Now lay there for a while until you're ready to fight me like a true warrior." Zero turned his back to Vile and began moving away.

"What?! Why won't you finish me?" Zero stopped and turned his head slightly.

"You don't deserve it." Zero began moving again and Vile just let his head hit the ground.

The other battles had stopped and everybody was staring in Zero's direction. Harpuia, Leviathan, Agile, and Bit all just watched Zero walk by.

_So that's the power Zero used to take down Sigma… its unreal…_ Harpuia's awe was cut off by a snide remark from Agile.

"Ha… you had to resort to that to take down Vile? I'll tell you right now, you can't afford to hold back when I get to you." Bit was doing the same.

"So you have new powers? All the power in the world cannot match my strategy."

Harpuia couldn't believe his ears. _Are they that oblivious? Or are they just consumed by their own hunger for revenge?_ Zero disregarded both of them as he stepped into a clearing and stared up at his old rival. Colonel remained silent and stared right back into Zero's deep blue eyes. The silence was broken when Leviathan struck the back end of her halberd into the ground.

"Zero! You should have Croire look at your injuries! We'll handle things out here for the time being." Zero stood firm like a statue, his hand gripping his saber tightly.

"She has a point Zero." Harpuia remarked. "Go heal up. You'll need to be at full strength to continue." Zero disregarded everything he heard. Nothing could break him off his course right now. Nothing except…

"Zero… Please…!"

Ciel.

The silence carried on for a moment before Zero turned and walked toward the base. Not a sound was made as Zero stepped medical post and the door closed behind him. The sounds of battle resumed immediately as Zero sat down to catch his breath, lightly clutching his side. Croire wasted no time in treating his wounds, Cerveau was doing everything he could to help the cyber-elf, and Ciel stood next to Zero with her eyes locked on his arm upon his side. All of her thoughts were aimed at hoping Zero had no serious injuries, but Croire broke these hopes.

"Zero, your fluid circulation system as been punctured. Until this is fixed you need to stay put." Ciel began to panic as the cyber-elf revealed Zero's condition.

"How long will it take to repair it?" Zero calmly questioned, knowing the seriousness of the situation plus the danger of leaving Harpuia and Leviathan alone to battle the enemy.

"I'd say about twenty minutes… maybe fifteen if Cerveau lends me a hand."

"Ten minutes… that's all the time I've to spare…" There were neither retorts nor objections from the two; they just left to gather up equipment. Ciel didn't know how much more she could take. This was the first time a battle had nothing to do with her, yet it involved all the things she loved and cherished, especially Zero. She broke from her trance when she felt a hand upon her shoulder. She traced it back to Zero and looked him in the eye. "Don't worry Ciel, I just need to finish my business with some old acquaintances and then everything will be back to normal." Zero always managed to bring a smile to her face.

"Yes… I'll be waiting!" The base suddenly rocked and Harpuia came crashing through the wall, hitting the opposite wall with a loud thud. Agile touched down right inside the gaping hole in the wall.

"Get up… I'm not done yet." Harpuia propped himself up on one knee, still clutching both sabers tightly. Zero reached for his saber.

"No Zero. Don't **EVEN** think about it." Zero stopped and withdrew his hand.

"Very well." Zero turned his head to Ciel who was shivering behind him. He spoke softly to her. "Don't fret Ciel… Harpuia won't lose…" She stopped shivering, but she didn't move from her spot. Harpuia painfully rose to his feet and readied his sabers once again.

"Careful… don't let me split your skull." Agile taunted as he was face to face with Harpuia in the instant between the words "your" and "skull". Harpuia crossed his sabers and caught the swift blow aimed for his head; the force was so great that it slammed his sabers together. A power struggle began as the two refused to give an inch. Agile suddenly broke off and began slashing madly in a furious assault. The attacks were not powerful, but they were faster than the eye could see. To everyone's surprise, Harpuia didn't dodge. Instead, he tried to match the quick strokes. Despite the speed advantage that two sabers have over one, most of the blows were landing and spreading small cuts and gashes all over his armor. Once satisfied, Agile ceased the attack and stepped back, leaving Harpuia on one knee again.

"Zero you have to help him!" Cerveau urged Zero. But Zero only shook his head and pointed at Harpuia.

"Just watch… Harpuia has won." Harpuia stood up slowly.

"You didn't even try to dodge… are you so desperate that you are trying to find holes in my attacks?"

"No."

"What?" Harpuia held his sabers out toward Agile. They were pulsating with red electricity. "How?!"

"Take this!" The electricity shot out at Agile, and not even he is as fast as the speed of light. The attack hit home and the electricity held him firmly in place. Harpuia immediately focused his eyes down at his sabers in front of him. All his energy began flowing to the sabers which eventually turned green and extended about seven feet. A large green aura circled him as he yelled, "BLOODY TORNADO!" He lifted off and sped toward Agile while spinning so fast that he resembled a twister. Agile was not beaten. He broke from the paralyzing volts and readied his saber to take the blow. It connected and pushed his saber close to his face. He sneered, thinking he had won, but Harpuia used his centrifugal force to swing the other saber around at twice the speed he was already spinning and struck the back of his other saber. The pressure broke the focus of Agile's saber crystal and cut right through it. Agile's neck and shoulders were soon airborne as the rest of his body fell limp to the ground.

"See I told you…" Zero said calmly as Croire returned to her work. Agile was confused as his head lay on the floor, slowly losing energy.

"How… how did you activate and build up power for the lightning?" Harpuia faced his felled enemy.

"It's all thanks to you actually… I'm sure you know that I start the power build up by clashing my sabers together." Agile's mind immediately played back to the power struggle that began with him forcing Harpuia's sabers together.

"So that's' why you didn't dodge my fury attack… to keep me in your zone…I see… so it was my own undoing."

"No. Your undoing was your carelessness and arrogance."

"Oh please… I've heard that before." Harpuia turned his back.

"If that's truly what you think then you should know… Zero is far more powerful than I." Agile came to a harsh realization. "You couldn't even beat me. Do you think you'd have been even a warm up for Zero?" Agile fell completely silent as the last of his energy died away.

_Harpuia…_ Zero thought. _It takes a true warrior to admit his own limits… your honor is unmatched…_

Meanwhile…

"Ha!" Leviathan's freezer beam could match Bit's fireballs, but she wasn't getting any attacks in. _I've got to come up with a plan soon, or I will waste too much energy… _Bit suddenly closed the gap between them and tried to slice Leviathan across the face with his wrist blade. She brought her halberd to eye level in time to parry the attack. "Getting tired of projectiles?" She taunted him.

"No… just getting close enough to do this!" He head butted Leviathan in the face, causing her to wince backward. In that instant, Bit fired a ring at her and caught her in place. Her arms were locked to her body and stuck there by the pressure of the ring.

"Dammit!" She yelled as she tried to move about to no avail.

"You let your guard down and you pay the price… time to finish this." Bit backed away from his trapped prey and raised his hands above his head, concentrating his power into a single large fireball above his head. Upon noticing his actions, Leviathan began attempting to break free. She pushed against the ring with all her strength; nothing happened at first, but with a second effort the ring began to expand with the force she was creating, but it wasn't enough to free herself. She charged the energy in her body to add an extra boost and the ring began to spark.

"Grrrgh" She grunted as she finally created enough room in the ring to gain leverage on the force. She glanced up for a moment to see the massive fireball hurling towards her. With one last attempt she pushed her arms outward as hard as she could breaking the ring right off of her body and dodged past the fire ball, zooming toward Bit with her energy still charged at it's peak. Winding up her halberd, she delivered a fierce blow to Bit's head, sending him to the ground with a loud crash.

Thoughts of victory filled her head, but Leviathan soon realized just how much power her struggle had consumed and descended slowly, no longer able to maintain flight. She landed on her hands and knees panting furiously. She hoped that the attack finished Bit, because if it hadn't, she was done for.

"Incredible." Leviathan's head snapped up in the direction of the crater. Bit had emerged with quite a large dent in the head piece of his armor and damaged circuits around his upper body. "Nobody has ever escaped from the ring's hold, not even Zero…" Leviathan fell back into a sitting position, only supported by her outstretched arms behind her. She was finished. "But now I don't even need the rings, you've brought your own death upon yourself." Like déjà vu the sequence replayed in Leviathan's vision, Bit was once again preparing his final attack. There was nothing she could do, but she wasn't one to quit.

_I've at least got to try… if I can hit him with enough freezer beam energy to freeze him solid, the fall from his height will cause him to shatter…_ With every ounce of strength she could muster, Leviathan removed her right hand from the ground and held it out in front with Bit in her sights. The build up was slow, but she was able to find just the right amount of energy. "Take this!" She released the energy in a focused beam that flew towards Bit. He was unaware of the danger he was in and continued his action. Confident there was nothing she could do, he laughed out loud and launched the blast. Leviathan's attack was a millisecond too late. Bit was frozen and his body fell to the ground shattering upon impact, but now his final attack was spelling certain death for her. She closed her eyes and had only one thing on her mind. _Sage……_

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

She was alive, she felt the shockwave of the explosion, but it had not hit her. Her eyelids slowly parted and the first color of light to enter her eyes was a familiar viridian, and she thought to herself, _he really is my guardian angel……_ Harpuia was standing in front of her, arms crossed. He had taken the blast for her. "Sage…"

"Fairy, are you alright?" He questioned.

"Yes… I'm okay." She smiled as she finished, waiting for him to turn around.

"Good…" His arms slumped to his sides and he fell backward into Leviathan's arms.

"Sage!!" She gasped as she realized how damaged he was. His frontal armor was covered in cracks and broken circuits and the armor plating on his arms were melted of from the heat of the explosion, exposing his forearms completely with burn marks on them. Finally, his energy readings were extremely low. "Sage! Sage! She called to him and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Fairy… can you still fight?"

"No… I'm in no shape to fight…"

"Then… I hope Zero is repaired soon… Because… we're defiantly done…" The two of them averted their eyes towards the remaining enemies. Colonel hadn't moved from his spot, perched like a vulture staring down at its prey, watching it slowly die.

"Well… they did better than we expected." Mac spoke to colonel. "But these two have exhausted their fighting worth."

"Very well… I shall grant them an honorable death… but let's make it messy for Zero… Violen!" Colonel called to the fearsome reploid with the spiked ball in his hand.

"Yes… Colonel…?"

"Those two down there. You may kill them… however you wish."

"Heehheheeehhh… with pleasure." Violen took to the air from his spot and was on a set course toward the drained couple. Neither bothered to try moving. They already knew that there was nothing they could do to stop it. Leviathan hugged Harpuia tightly as the large chain linked spike ball flew at them. But before it could hit home, another energy reading suddenly appeared on Harpuia's scanner. A blue laser blast collided with the ball and changed the direction of the dead weight away from the worn out warriors.

_Who? _Harpuia thought as he looked in the direction of the blast. He spotted a tall figure wearing a cloak in the distance. The figure leapt through the air and landed in front of them. "What in the world…?" It was a green reploid, one that Harpuia recognized.

…

…

…

"Craft?!" Indeed it was him. The warrior that had sided with Neo Arcadia during Dr. Weil's rule, the same warrior that Harpuia had faced only four months before. "How…?" Craft didn't turn to face his old opponent. He only spoke.

"There is no time to explain; right now this fight is the main priority."

"But… there are still so many of them!" Leviathan exclaimed. "How will you win?"

"Who said I'd be fighting alone?" At that moment, four teleport beams landed next to craft, two on his left, and two on his right. Zero stepped out of the base to see what all the commotion was. He smirked.

"Well, well… things seem to be turning in our direction…"

The four warriors that appeared were not reploids, but older models, pre-reploids. "Looks like my idiot little brother could use a hand." Forte was the first on the left. He cracked his knuckles and licked his lips at the thought of battle.

"Enter the Wily tag team!" In unison, Quickman and Shadowman stood to Craft's right.

"You guys don't belong here… those from the past who interfere with the future are my enemy!" Blues finally makes his appearance to everyone. The tables had been turned and the cards had been dealt. The rest of colonel's henchmen sprung towards the new arrivals.

---To be continued---

* * *

Ok, now the old characters have steped in, what will happen? i guess we'll find out next time. (hopefully it won't be a month this time)

I will work as much as i can, like i said before, the time i get to write all depends on my homework and football.

I would like to thank all those who've read my fanfic wether you've been with it from the beginning or you're a new reader. I apologize one more time for the long wait.

please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	32. Back Up

Deepest apalogies to everyone. i'm sure you are all tired of my excuses, but please humor me. I've been very busy between homework, sports, Team Fortress 2 (it's hard to resist), school, and the college process (hoping to get into Macalester College in St. Paul.). because of all of this i've had little to no time to write, plus i completely scrapped the first draft of this chapter because i hated it. I started from scratch about two weeks ago and managed to squeeze enough time out every once and a while to write. So here we are.

Here is the Thirty-Second installment of Believe in Me.

Story

"talking"

_Thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me Talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 32: Back Up

The squad of four that progressed toward Zero's newly arrived comrades was quickly reduced to three as Forte intercepted Byte mid-flight with a mighty blow, sending them in the opposite direction. Violen veered off to follow Craft high into the air. Serges stopped and prepared his battle platform for the incoming wily bots. All that was left was Mac, who fired a plasma shot toward Blues. As Blues dodged Mac teleported and appeared behind the old robot.

_Heh, another easily fooled chump…_As Mac snickered to himself, blues spun around and struck Mac with his shield. "Gah!!!"

"Teleportation? How quaint." Blues stared through the dark shades at his enemy, waiting for the next move. Mac warped again, hoping for a better result. Blues turned and fired a plasma blast from his buster. The shot hurled toward what first seemed to be nothing until Mac appeared right in front of it, taking the full force of the attack. "Teleport all you like, you have no idea how many times I've come across those with abilities like yours."

"Don't take me lightly!" He began warping around quickly, trying to delude Blues' perception. "There is no way you can see where I'm going now. It's almost as if there are multiple…GAH!" He was cut off as Blues caught his throat after one of the many teleports.

"Don't **YOU** take **ME** lightly… fool." Mac grabbed Blues' wrist with both hands trying to pry it loose, but the grip was too strong, a grip forged through the endless journeys and trials Blues had faced in his long winding past. He raised his arm cannon to Mac's face.

"Who… are you…?" Mac managed to choke out. Blues smirked.

"I am the single ancestor of all reploids and the protector of eras… You should thank me for your existence… But you don't belong in this era, so I need to remove you." Before Mac could respond, his head was missing, and Blues let his headless body fall to the ground.

"Done already Blues? He must have been a wuss." Blues turned to see Byte fly by him, not under his own power, and Forte was following him. "I guess I'm lucky I got a tough one!" Byte regained control and lunged at Forte, throwing a hard left. Forte met this attack with a quick right. Their fists clashed together, causing a miniature shockwave from the impact. This process repeated as Forte met every punch with a punch of his own. Byte, overall however, could not keep up and constantly found himself flying in some random direction. Byte swung hard with a right, but Forte blocked in with his left arm and delivered an uppercut that could chatter steel. "Unfortunately he is also a dull one… not much besides a fist fighter."

"Don't be so sure…" Byte flipped in mid-air and tossed something toward Forte. It attached to his chest, surprising the black robot.

"What is this little piece of scrap?" Forte looked up just in time to notice Byte as his fist closed in. _What?! _With no time to parry, Forte jumped to the side and readied himself for a counter. Byte stopped and turned in an instant toward Forte with no momentum effects. Forte quickly put up his fists and began blocking blows that came at twice the speed they did before. They clasped hands together at shoulder height and arms length. _He's gotten stronger too! What is this?_

"You're wondering how I'm suddenly able to match you? That little device I planted on you is the key. Don't bother ripping it off. It's integrated with my systems. It won't detach until I lose control of it."

"So I just have to kill you then!" Forte thrust his head forward, head butting Byte right between the eyes. Forte was expecting the blow to knock Byte back and by him some time, but Byte lurched forward almost instantly. Without giving much thought to strategy, Forte began throwing punches. Byte took three hits before suddenly moving back at an impossible speed. Forte was confused beyond belief. _There's got to be some trick behind all this… He's suddenly able to match my speed and strength, not to mention his outrageous evasion ability… Wait…… Of course!!! _"I get it now."

"Get what?"

"Your tricky little device here. It's not giving you special powers, or suppressing mine as I first thought… it's just a little magnet." Byte's expression made it evident that Forte had hit a bull's-eye. "You use the magnetic frequencies of your system to attract yourself toward the magnet or push yourself away. You were able to follow me so swiftly because the magnet's pull outweighed the conserved momentum of your large body. Your increased strength was just you using the magnet to attract yourself towards me and add more pressure. You are also able to charge and avoid quickly by changing your own magnetic frequency to suite the need." Byte was silent for a moment, but scoffed.

"So what just because you figured it out doesn't mean you know how to stop it! Now die!!" Byte left his feet and hurled toward Forte.

"Wrong! Because the magnet is on my body… I can use its properties as well!" Forte jumped forward and tore towards Byte at blinding speed. Byte was not prepared… not prepared at all. He now stood still as the sound of his device falling off Forte echoed in the surroundings. Forte's punch was filled with so much power and speed that it went right through Byte's chest and was sticking out the other end. Forte pulled his arm out and Byte's power core ruptured, creating an explosion. As the dust was clearing, Forte walked out of the cloud, holding the small magnet in his hand. "Your silly little device was your own undoing…" He crushed it in his hand.

Not too far away………

"Run fools! Run!" Serges fired a barrage of energy blasts from the lens mounted on his headgear. Quickman and Shadowman stepped lightly and quickly to avoid contact with the shots. Quickman caught glimpse of an opening and charged with a quick boomerang reared back. Only to be repelled by a barrier around the diameter of Serges' platform.

"Argh!" Quickman flipped and did a backward handspring to straighten himself up.

"You imbeciles have no chance. This barrier is impenetrable."

"Nothing is impenetrable." Shadowman retorted, pointing his index finger towards Serges.

"Then quit posing and find out how to counter it!" Quickman hit Shadowman upside the head.

"Alright, alright… jeez!" Shadowman took a stance and disappeared into smoke. And Quickman began running circle around Serges. Serges focused his attacks on Quickman, but he was ready for Shadowman. The ninja reappeared behind Serges and tossed three shurikens toward him. Serges' barrier activated, blocking the stars and giving Serges enough time to turn and fire on Shadowman, hitting him twice. The ninja quickly teleported back beside Quickman. "I think I got it."

"Good… now spill it."

"Every time his barrier is hit, it disappears for all but a millisecond. I was able to discern the reset interval, but I'm not quick enough to attack in that time."

"That's where I come in."

"Exactly." Shadowman stood up and pulled out five shurikens in each hand. "I'll keep hitting him. You look for an opening and strike within the reset sequence!"

"All right! Here we go!" Shadowman jumped backward and fired shurikens towards Serges. Quickman followed directly behind one of the razor stars, keeping his eyes focused on the shield.

"It's useless you simpletons! You cannot breach this shield!" The star bounced off the shield and Quickman could see it.

_There it is! The interval! _Quickman surged forward as fast as he could with quick blades in both hands, driving them into Serges' body. Quickman let go as Serges flew to the ground and skidded to a halt, motionless. "Don't bark your superiority if you fail to address the weakness of your own shield."

"Well I guess that's that." Shadowman clapped his hands together to shake off dust.

"We've survived this long… we're not about to die now…" Quickman turned to see Craft fighting Violen.

A little ways away……

Violen threw his ball and chain around as if it were a beach ball tied to a piece of string. He could not hit Craft however. His senseless flailing was easily sidestepped and dodged. Craft pulled out his multi weapon and fired a blue laser blast into the spiked ball and sent it flying toward Violen. He merely reached out a caught it right before launching it again.

"You are annoyingly persistent…" Craft sidestepped and let the ball pass right by him. A blade popped out of the barrel of his weapon. "Lets get rid of your little toy shall we?" He struck the blade into the chain and wrapped it around the blade's edges. He stepped on the loose end of the chain and yanked it tight. With one more swing of his arms Craft broke the chain and it lay in pieces around him. Violen rewound what was left oh his chain and glared at Craft. "Let's finish this…" Craft readied his multi-weapon atop his shoulders.

"We're… not… done…" Violen threw his fists into the air and blocks appeared all around the two of them.

"Hm?" Craft glanced back and forth. "Just what are these for?"

"Your… END!!!!" Violen began jumping from block to block firing small energy blasts from his finger tips. Craft barely moved as he dodged or deflected each small blast.

"So… you intend to beat me by confusing me? I guess you haven't realized that you've given me a tactical advantage as well!" Craft leapt to a block over head and began mirroring Violen's movements only his were much faster. A small fire fight ensued as each of them jumped and fired at each other simultaneously. At on point craft disappeared and Violen dropped to a low black to look around. Up, down, left, right, behind…… he was nowhere. Suddenly he heard a light tap to his left. Violen's head snapped towards the sound, but nothing was there. Another tap… this time behind. Violen spun around and glanced quickly in every direction he could. He primed his fingers to fire blasts again, waiting for the next sound. Another tap, followed by Violen turning and firing, the blasts all exploded on a block close to him. Violen's eyes scanned the area. He turned his head slowly and suddenly found himself looking right down the barrel of Craft's weapon. "You lose." Violen's head was vaporized, leaving a headless body to fall to the ground. Craft twirled the weapon in his hands and rested it on his shoulder.

"I guess that's that…" Craft turned to see Zero walk out of the medical station with Ciel, Cerveau, and Croire behind him.

"Yes…"

"So Neige found a remnant of your memory chip…"

"Of course… once she knew of the opportunity she worked on bringing me back right away."

"That sounds like her…" Ciel commented.

"Hey idiot!" Zero turned to the voice and spotted his brother along with Quickman and Shadowman. "If you were more competent we wouldn't have had to step in!"

"It's nice to see you too brother… oh by the way who was that with you?"

"Oh him… well… lets just say he's… the guardian of time… he appears only when time periods are disrupted… or so that's the cheesy explanation he always gives me…"

"And his name…?"

"Blues…" The name meant nothing to Ciel, but Zero knew exactly who Forte meant.

"Well if you see him again, give him my thanks…" Zero turned to Colonel. "Now… it's time to fight once more…" Zero closed his eyes and his past connection with Colonel played through his mind all over again. He opened his eyes and turned his head to Ciel. "Ciel… the Z-saber."

"Oh! Yes…" She had been holding it for him while he was being healed. She out stretched her hand with the saber in its grasp. Zero clasped his hand around it and was about to take it from Ciel's hand, but she put her other hand atop his. He looked toward her face and into her eyes. She did the same. Then, in a very bold move, Ciel pulled him forward and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Zero was surprised of course, but the connection between him and Ciel had grown recently, and he understood what she wanted him to know. Ciel on the other hand was even more surprised than Zero was. One, she couldn't believe what she had just done. And two… It wasn't what she was expecting, she was ready to feel awkward by kissing reploid skin, but it didn't feel that way. Zero's face felt real. She was unaware of just how similar reploids were to humans, even down to the features. "Zero… Please don't overdo it…"

"Don't worry, I won't lose……" Ciel let go of the Z-saber. "One more time Ciel."

"What?"

"This will be the last time I worry you. I promise. Things will be different afterward." Ciel took his words to heart.

"Yes… I will be waiting!" Zero smiled and turned away from her as he walked towards Colonel's perch. Colonel only glared back at him like a vulture staring down its prey. Zero halted his progress and shot a battle glare right back towards Colonel.

"Colonel!!!! It's time to end this nonsense!!!!! Come down!!!!!" Colonel obeyed and jumped from the tower to a position thirty feet from Zero.

"Now my sister will watch as I avenge her." Zero shook his head.

"No matter what way you look at it Colonel, you are letting your rage control your actions."

"Don't you tell me anything about rage! When my sister became a Maverick, you struck her down like an animal."

"I did no such thing, do you even know how it……"

"Spare the lies! I don't want to hear them… All I want to hear now is the sound of your blade against mine, so I may finish the revenge." Zero sighed

"Very well…" He took a battle stance. "What are we waiting for?"

---To be continued---

* * *

So it begins... will it end? Well, you'll have to find out next time. And unfortunatly that may not be for a while. I'll try to at least be faster than i was with this one, but there is no guarentee.

Thanks to all those who have stuck with me despite all of my setbacks and missed deadlines. You guys rock. And, as always, i'd like to thank all those who have read and reviewed this story, you are all deeply appreciated.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	33. Unforseen Outcomes

Ah Exams are over and i finally got to finish this chapter! Woo! ok now. applications for collage are in and exams are done so hopefully i have more time to right, once again im unable to guarentee anything, but you guys are always high on my list.

Anyway. Here is the thirty third installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

**"I mean it" Emphasis **(Oh you'll know why when you see it.)

(me talking)

Enjoy!

(A cookie to anyone who recognizes what this chapter is a parody of.)

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 33: Unforeseen Outcomes

Zero's armor color faded to black as Colonel rested the blade of his saber atop his shoulder. A short stare down began as the two summoned up their lost battle tactics for each other. Colonel suddenly rushed forward, spinning 360 degrees and slashing at Zero, who jumped into the air. Zero swung as he came down, but colonel met the blow by bringing his saber up to guard his front.

"HYAAAAAA!!!!"

"RAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

They shouted as they engaged in mid-air sword play until they hit the ground and broke apart. Colonel wasted no time in rushing forward and opening an assault on Zero. Zero carefully dodged each swipe. Colonel didn't stop despite his unconnected efforts. Zero eventually brought a few attacks of his own into the mix, but he wasn't putting much effort into attacking.

"This guy is Zero's rival?" Harpuia remarked with a confused look.

"That's what Zero told us…" Cerveau answered him.

"But… He can't keep up! I mean look! Zero is just dodging and attacking slightly… it's almost as if Zero is not fighting seriously."

"He's not…" Harpuia turned to Ciel. "I've seen Zero fight… he's barely giving anything… besides there is one thing we all have to take into account here… If Colonels power doesn't match Sigma's then Zero won't lose."

"True…" Harpuia looked back to the fight. _But… Something just doesn't feel right…_

Zero and Colonel split apart again and a brief pause in the fighting began. Colonel scoffed at Zero.

"This is pathetic Zero… are you trying to test my ability?"

"What…?"

"Why don't you try a little harder? Because if you won't… I will!" Suddenly, orange sparks began to fly from Colonels wrists and feet as he rocketed towards Zero with insane velocity. Zero quickly brought up his saber to parry a skyward attack from Colonel. The force of the blow was so great that Zero was lifted into the air and flew a few feet back, skidding to a halt on the ground. Zero propped himself up on his hands and stared back at colonel.

"What the hell was that?!" Zero yelled towards his rival.

"Heh heh heh…… This is my new power Zero… it wasn't given to me as an upgrade… it wasn't a downloaded ability… it is just rage."

"Rage?"

"Yes… Ever since you killed my sister I have hated you… the mere mention of your name would anger me to the point of insanity. The anger and hate made me strong. I found that they gave me new strength when I fought." Colonel brought his hand in front of his face and closed his fingers into a fist. "So… I learned how to harness this power. I can now call upon this power of anger whenever I choose!!"

"So… by harnessing the hatred and rage you have towards me you are able to boost your power in violent bursts…"

"I guess that's one way of putting it."

"Still…"

"What?"

"If only you knew truth of Iris' passing…"

"SHUT UP!!!" Colonel came forward again, wrists sparking as he swung vertically aimed at Zero's head. Zero blocked the attack and parried it off to the side. Zero spun around to gain momentum and swung at Colonel's body, exposed by the parry. Colonel's arms sparked as he turned his saber, making the tip of the hilt come in contact with Zero's blade. Colonel used the force of Zero's attack to propel his blade around in a circle and thrust forward. Zero barely managed to sidestep as Colonel's blade carved a deep cut in his shoulder. Zero gritted his teeth and grunted loudly in pain as he dropped to one knee; his right hand placed over the new gap in his left shoulder.

"Incredible… he's giving Zero trouble……" Harpuia literally gawked at the display of technique and swordplay from Colonel.

"ZERO!!!!!" Ciel yelled towards the warrior in pain. But she froze in place when her eyes met an ice cold stare from Colonel that sent shivers down her spine.

"You faked your love for Iris and killed her. Now here we have another…" Colonel's eyes did not stray from Ciel. "When I heard you were close to another…" Before he could finish Zero was suddenly up and in front of him, his saber outstretched and blocking Colonel's View.

"It is evident now… that you plan on involving others in this matter of personal vendetta…" Zero lowered his saber and stepped toward Colonel in an attack position. "But I… WILL NOT ALLOW IT!!!!" Zero burst forward swinging fiercely at Colonel. Colonel blocked the blow and the two stood deadlocked. Colonels fists once again sparked and the two engaged in a long sword duel faster than even Forte's eyes could follow. Colonel pushed off and brought his sword high above his head, swinging violently downward. Zero took to the air to avoid, and was preparing to counter attack, but Colonel had seen Zero's escape path and was already rocketing toward him. Zero tried to parry the blow, but he only ended up flying further skyward. Content with the attack, Colonel focused on landing. He was unaware that Zero had turned round and fired his dash boosters in midair. Colonel looked up in time to see Zero flying towards him and raise his sword, but there was little Colonel could do while airborne.

"Hyouretsuzan!" Zero yelled as he thrust the tip of his blade into Colonels sword. It forced the sword to Colonels chest and the two began falling in synch, Zero on top, diving downward faster and faster. Zero deactivated his dash boosters and fired a charged blast from his Z-buster towards colonel. The recoil pushed Zero up as the Colonel hit the ground with massive force, only to have a charged plasma blast follow him into the crater. An explosion followed by a dust cloud and Zero touching down to terra firma.

"He did it!" Exclaimed Leviathan.

"A nice strike Zero…" Harpuia commented, obviously impressed. Even Ciel believed he had won and the tense situation seemed to relax. That is until Forte spoke up.

"There's no way he's finished." Everyone stopped and faced him. "Rivalry duels never end so quickly… I would know." As Forte spoke they all turned to face the battle field. Indeed he was right. Colonel rose from the dust and faced Zero with a chilling smirk across his face.

"Yes… yes…. You are still just as powerful as you were then… fighting you makes me feel so alive. Even with the power of rage on my side you put up a great bout. However… we should end this soon don't you think?"

"The sooner the better... shall we go with the usual?" Colonel grabbed a rock off the ground and held it up.

"Yeah… there would be no other way to truly end our duel." Zero took a stance.

"Looks like they plan to give one final charge with everything behind it." Forte explained.

"So… who has the advantage here?" Cerveau questioned nobody in particular. Harpuia took the pleasure of explaining.

"Zero is slightly faster. Colonel is slightly stronger. Their swordsmanship is equal. It all depends on how the clash unfolds. If Zero gets an attack in quickly he wins. If Colonel manages to force Zero into a deadlock, then Colonel wins. It's not very easy to tell who will win… they are practically equal." Ciel wasn't listening. She only held her hands together over her heart and had her eyes closed. _Zero… Zero…! _

"Let's go." Colonel said as he threw the debris very high into the air and took a stance himself. Everybody watched, breathless with anticipation of the final charge.

5 seconds……….

10 seconds………

15 seconds………

20 seconds……….

A faint tap sounded somewhere in the area. The two had charged. It was only an instant to Ciel and Cerveau, but Harpuia, Leviathan, Croire, and Forte could see it clearly. Colonel had forced a deadlock and Zero was in trouble. He pushed Zero off ever so slightly and spun around for a strike. Zero used the super speed of the Hienkyaku to react and spin around faster than Colonel. Zero had successfully turned the tides into a battle of speed.

"He won." Harpuia stated right as the two of them reappeared opposite to where they started.

"Yes…" Began Forte. "He……" He was cut off and sparks suddenly flew from Zero's chest. He collapsed to his knees and cried out in agony.

"Guh…gah…GYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

They could all see it now. A large deep gash diagonally cut across his body. No words could explain the shock everybody was in. Harpuia and Forte were lost for words. They saw it; it all went in Zero's favor. Ciel was frozen, solidified in place at the sight of the nearly invincible warrior down on his knees in pain. Colonel turned around, clutching a small cut on his left side.

"How!? How did that happen!? I saw it all! Zero should not be the one down!"

"They must have collided again… forcing power back into the equation… either that or it was so equal that it came down to a battle of wills… Colonel must have tremendous willpower…"

"No… that's not it." They all saw Colonel speaking to them. "My will is not so strong that it is able to change the course of such a powerful attack…"

"Then what? Forte eagerly questioned. Colonel laughed.

"It's quite simple really." He began. "I have two wills… Mine… and that of my sister. As long as I have her will with mine there is no obstacle I cannot overcome!" He smirked and faced Zero who was now on his knees with his face to the ground, clutching the massive wound. His armor slowly faded to red as he panted heavily in pain. "No more fight left Zero? Well good. Now I can finally get my revenge." Zero didn't move, or more so he couldn't move. He was finished. He knew it. Nobody had predicted this to happen. It was all going to end right here.

But he soon realized that he was still alive. He then heard Colonel speak, but he was facing away from Zero. "Your death will not fully satisfy my sister… or my revenge…" Colonel approached Ciel and the others. He lifted his hand up with a small device in it. A large force field suddenly appeared; a giant cube that covered the entire battlefield. Everybody was locked out, but Ciel had taken a few steps forward when Zero began screaming. She too, was stuck in it. His voice got further away. "You took the most important person in my life away… So…" Zero could sense Ciel within the force field area, then he put Colonel's words together and his eyes shot wide open. "For this revenge…… will make you suffer as I have…"

"Ciel!" Harpuia drew his sabers.

"Ciel no!" Leviathan drew her halberd and they began attacking the energy field.

"We can't get through!" yelled Cerveau.

Ciel backed to the wall as Colonel approached her. "I hold no personal grudge against you… but you are part of this revenge." Ciel's legs gave way below her and she dropped to the ground. There was nothing she could do to stop this. And Zero was immobilized.

_It wasn't meant to be this way…… why……_

Colonel kept moving toward her until……

…

…

…

…

…

"STOP."

Colonel did just that. He turned around to meet a fist that collided with face. He was knocked to the ground and incredulous to what he was seeing.

"You will not carry this out Colonel……" Zero clutched his saber hilt as he held it out in front of him. "Even if Iris' will truly rests with you…… I. WILL. NOT. LET. YOU!!!!!!!!" Colonel rose to his feat.

"**You** won't let me? Look at you… your all beat up and you've lost the ability to sustain your black armor. I'm surprised you had the energy to stand, much less hit me. But that is fine. The more you struggle to cling to hope, the harder you will feel the…" He was cut off by Zero delivering a punch to his gut followed by a violent strike to the chin using his saber hilt. Colonel was sent flying and came to a halt on the ground. He quickly rose to a knee. _Where… is he finding this power?!_

"You will not defeat me Colonel! You will not even be allowed NEAR Ciel!!"

"Grrrrr… SHUT UP! I will have my revenge!!!!! HYAAAAAAA!!!!!!" Colonel jumped into the air, his arms sparking as he drew near his target.

"Ryuenjein!" Zero met him in mid-air, swing his sword towards the heavens. The sword collided with colonel and thrust the two of them high into the air. Zero let up and fell gracefully to the ground as Colonel landed on his back again.

_With the amount of damage he's sustained… he shouldn't even be able to move!!! Why you……_

"GRAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" Colonel jumped to his feet, his arms crackled as he tried to take Zero head on again. Only to be completely denied the attempt. Zero simply stuck him in the head with such force that Colonel dropped his sword and his head smashed into the ground. _No… this is… this can't be!!!!!! _Zero raised his sword over his head

"Colonel… I will end this now. I will not kill you, but I will put you out for a while. When you wake up, the full story shall be told. Then from there if you still want revenge I will fight you again, but you will stay away from Ciel… **UNDERSTAND?**"

Colonel stared up at Zero wide eyed with disbelief. All he had worked for was about to be wasted. But, when all seemed to be coming to an end, a giant plasma blast suddenly collided with Zero and sent him flying. He landed only a few yards from Ciel. Mass panic appeared among the spectators outside the field. Colonel quickly traced the path of the blast back to. "Vile?!" indeed it was the menace of the Maverick Hunters, battered and beaten, but left alive by Zero.

"Are you alright Colonel?" Vile approached him as he got up.

"Yes…" the smirk reappeared on his face. "YES!!! I couldn't be better! Looks like I win after all Zero!!" Colonels arm formed into an arm cannon and he aimed it toward Ciel, who was now up and running toward Zero. It fired a large crimson blast of energy. Ciel stopped in her tracks and froze as she saw the beam hurling toward her. Zero saw this and struggled trying to get to his feet, but he could not. Then he looked up again and found just enough strength to push himself forward in sort of a "falling walk".

Ciel screamed and covered her eyes. Zero managed to touch her shoulder in attempt to push her away, but he could not. Colonel watched with surprise as he witnessed Zero's movement. The beam hurled toward the two of them. Then……

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

A direct hit. An explosion. Followed by dust. Silence. Silence. The dust cleared. To reveal…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…nothing.

---To be continued---

* * *

Oh i've done it now...

What happened? What's going to happen? Did i just...?

Find out in the next chapter of Believe in me! (oh i'm evil...)

Once again i would like to say thank you and a happy holidays to all those who read and those who review my story. You guys are awsome.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	34. The End of the Line?

Ah it's too bad that this is the last day of my Winter Break... it was great to have more time to write. (Even though i was heavily distracted by Call of Duty 4(if you don't have this game get it is INCREDIBLE.)) so now it's back to school for me, hopefully it will be less strenuous now that i've sent in my applications for college. I applied ED2 to Macalester college. I'm really hoping to get in there.

Anyway here is the thirty-fourth installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 34: The End of the Line?

What happened? Why did it happen? Now what? So many questions yet, no real answer. And with no real answer there was no real hope. The day of Colonel's attack was forever burned into the memory of those who survived. But they did not know what they survived for. There is a saying that all good things must come to an end. But did it have to be this harsh, this cruel, this arduous, this austere? It was Zero himself who had said it, "The winds of time are forever changing… and changes in the wind must be dealt with."

A week had past since the battle, and everybody that had been evacuated had finally returned. But it was not a happy homecoming. The news of the battle's conclusion brought mourning and despair. Harpuia, Leviathan, Cerveau, Croire, and Alouette were all gathered in the lounge with the outcome on the mind. They sat in complete silence except for Alouette who was crying in Leviathan's arms. She tried her best to comfort the child reploid, but there was little hope of success.

"I can't believe… this is how it all turned out……" Leviathan broke the silence.

"The big question at hand though…" Croire looked back and forth before continuing. "What now?" There was another long pause. Harpuia moved from his seat to the window and Cerveau spoke up.

"Well… Without Zero or Ciel…… we have nobody who can organize and regulate the entire resistance military……

"No… you're not saying……"

"Yes I am Leviathan… The resistance will have to be disbanded… there's just nobody else with enough influence to sustain it."

"No! There has to be a way… Sage! Can't we do anything?" Harpuia didn't turn to her. He shifted and began walking out the door, but stopped before he walked out.

"Cerveau, the decision on what's to be done with the resistance is up to you… but, I want you to hold off on the decision for a while. Same goes for funeral arrangements, just wait on those as well."

"What for?"

Harpuia grabbed his helmet off a table in the lounge and slipped it on over his spiky hair. "I have some business to take care of." With that, he opened a window and flew out. As he sped by a hill a few miles from the base, two figures stood under the shadow of a tree atop the hill.

"Well there he goes… just like you said he would Blues…"

"Are you sure you don't want to just tell them Forte?"

"I believe I'll quote you by saying, 'our job is to protect the time period. We only step in if the time period is disrupted.' I guess your rubbing off on me a little you old fart."

"Heh. Maybe I am."

"But I don't think we need to worry. Harpuia I think his name was. He's a clever one. He'll figure it out for sure."

"Yes and that other green clad warrior, Craft, he will aid Harpuia. Those two… who would have thought we'd find reploids like them in this time period?"

"They are special. I'll give them that. With the two of them working together, the discovery is only a little ways away."

…

…

…

…

…

Harpuia landed at the New Hope Archives, the massive electronic library that was built on the eastern edge of the city. Upon entering he got many looks from people who obviously recognized him. He took no notice as he made his way to a data computer and began typing. 'Weapons' he typed first. Many choices came up. He selected 'modern' followed by 'plasma cannons' then 'buster type'. Three files showed on the screen. _I guess built in busters are not very common…… anymore that is. _History of the Buster. Harpuia shook his head and looked on. Buster firing and maintenance. _No…_ finally he came across Properties of buster cannons. _Perfect. _He selected it, only to find that somebody had checked it out already. _What?! Dammit! _He sighed and canceled the program. He approached the librarian at the front desk. "Excuse me."

"I'm sorry I am really busy right now you will have to…" Then he looked up from his work. "OH MY! Harpuia! Yes what can I do for you?!" Harpuia cocked an eyebrow before speaking.

"I was wondering if you could tell me who checked out this file." Harpuia spun the librarians screen around and entered the title.

"Oh! That one! I was about to say there was no possible way to confirm who took it, but there's no way I'll ever forget that one!"

"Well?"

"Oh sorry I'm rambling on. Ahem yes… he was a very tall reploid, green like you, maybe a little darker. Oh yeah he also wore a black cloak. He was a very shady figure." Harpuia knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Craft."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing… thanks for telling me." Harpuia left immediately and took to the air again. He was heading to District Zero, the town that was built over the old Area Zero settlement.

…

…

…

…

A large green reploid sat at a desk reading over a file on the desks computer screen. He scratched his chin as he scrolled through the words as if looking for something. He was interrupted by a female voice.

"Craft! Harpuia is here to see you!" He stopped his work and looked to the door where red haired girl stood in the doorway.

"Send him in Niege." He looked back at the file for a moment before noticing another presence in the room.

"Craft… what are you up to?"

"Come on now you haven't told me why you're here yet."

"That file. It may have the information I am looking for."

"Could that be information regarding the deaths of Ciel and Zero?" Harpuia was silent for a moment. "What… a bull's eye? Come over here I'll show you what I've found." Without saying a word Harpuia made his way over to the desk. "Look here, it says, 'Busters have many different properties depending on the shape and the creator, but one thing that all busters share is the fact that the energy it emits is yellow.' Well?"

"That's what I thought… Colonels buster fired a RED blast."

"Unfortunately that isn't enough to warrant a deeper investigation."

"Why not?"

"Because of this." Craft pointed to a region he highlighted on the screen. It read, "There have been some reports of busters once not sharing this property, but the technology used in these busters has been long lost in the flow of time. It has been said that the blast emitted from these ancient busters would change color depending of how charged the buster was and even then it was said that the reploid's personality and circuitry also had a factor in it." Harpuia's small ray of hope was blotted out again.

"Ah I remember now… Zero's arm cannon fired blue blasts while he was fighting Colonel."

"Yes… so in order to get more evidence on this matter we'll have to look beyond. Luckily for us, I've already taken that precaution." Craft opened a compartment in the desk and pulled out another file disk. "I found this in the data storage room in the old Area Zero Archives."

"What is it?"

"It's a file on different particle devices including everything from weapons, to workshop tools. We may find something." Craft ejected the buster file and inserted the other disk. In no time the screen was filling up with words and images. "Damn there's a plethora of info here. Let's see if we can narrow it down a bit."

"Try 'red'." Craft typed 'red into the search engine.

"Still a lot. Anything else?"

"Put in 'focused target' and 'wide beam'." Craft got to it.

"Let's see here five devices listed…"

"Well let's go through each one."

"Ok first one. Focused red beam… can be used in sabers… no defiantly not even close…" Craft scrolled down to the next one.

"There." Harpuia pointed. "Level beam… a beam on energy that can be widened or flattened to measure how level wall fixtures… oh come on… of course not."

"Here's the next one." Craft read it over. "Heavy particle beam: Used to cut through solid objects in large proportions. Usually used for carving tunnels through mountains."

"I really hope it wasn't that one. Try the fourth."

"Ok here it is… Disintegration beam…"

"Let's just not read that one…" Harpuia cut him off. "Last one… I hope it's a keeper."

"Teleportation device: An early development around 20XX. It was a focused beam of energy that would teleport its target on contact to an inputted location. Its main use was to retrieve wounded reploids without endangering a medical team in the field. Its production was discontinued early on due to energy consumption issues."

Harpuia and Craft were both silent. They looked at each other, then looked back at the screen, and then looked at each other again.

"Could it be…?" began Craft.

"Wait… no… it couldn't be…"

"Why not?"

"Because… the contact made an explosion…" Harpuia's hopes were once again flattened.

"But…" Craft began as Harpuia looked back at him. "What if it was a simulated explosion?"

"Simulated… but how… unless…"

"Was there another reploid there?"

"Yes! There was another! That reploid with the shoulder cannon! But… why would Colonel do this… I mean he aimed it at Ciel… so did he want to kidnap Ciel? If this was the case then he probably did not count on Zero moving into the blast… Oh man this all sounds a little too outrageous… we may just be clicking our heels here…"

"But the possibilities are not farfetched! Now there's only one more thing that we need before we can confirm anything…"

"And that would be?" Harpuia braced himself.

"Were there ashes?"

"Ashes?"

"Yes if there were no human or reploid ashes left behind by the explosion then they are still of this world."

"I… don't remember… we were all in such shock that nobody dared to look back… and it's been windy lately so…"

"If there was ash… not all of it would be taken by the wind… some of it will be stuck to the ground still. Faint traces, but it will be there."

"So we're not out of luck just yet!"

"Quick Harpuia! Get back to the resistance base and scan the area of the explosion! Contact me when you finish!" Harpuia was out the door without another word and soon he was speeding through the air back to the resistance base. When he arrived he touched down and sprinted through the back entrance. He sprinted right past Leviathan and Cerveau.

"Sage!?" Leviathan didn't get an answer Harpuia kept moving right past everyone and into the front yard by the main gate. The crater from the explosion was still there. As he crouched down and began scanning, Leviathan, Alouette, Cerveau and Croire all made their way outside to see what the commotion was.

"Harpuia what are you doing!?"

"Be quiet for a moment!" Cerveau eased up as Harpuia shot the order to him.

He scanned up and down the crater. He pushed dirt around and analyzed anything he found. After he had collected data up and down the area, he entered "reploid or human ashes" into the analytical components. Harpuia's sensors began scanning the data. Moments seemed to last minutes as everybody stood silent, all wondering what Harpuia was trying to find. Then his sensors beeped and a phrase appeared in front of his face.

"NO MATCH FOUND."

Harpuia was silent for a moment. Slowly a small smile crept onto his face then he turned to everyone else who were even more confused by Harpuia's smile. "Cerveau… The resistance is not going to be disbanded…"

"What? Why?"

"You can also cancel any funeral arrangements."

"Sage what are you saying?"

"Fairy… everyone… here is what I've been doing…" And Harpuia explained to everybody what he and Craft had come up with, what his final investigation in the front yard was about, and how all the evidence came together like pieces in a puzzle. As realization began to dawn upon everyone…

"But… with all of this…" Leviathan began, "Sage… this means……

"Yes Fairy… everyone…………Zero and Ciel………… are still alive!"

---To Be Continued---

* * *

OH COME ON NOW! You really didn't think i was going to kill off the two main characters did you? Sure it was a curve ball... but tragety is just not my style... so this story is not over yet!

Once again i would like to thank everybody who reads and everybody who reviews my story... you guys are awsome!

please read and review!

Happy new year to everyone!

Flashgunner over and out!


	35. What Drives Me

Ok my excuse this time is the fact that i rewrote this thing twice, once because of a power outage(which taught me to save more often) and once again because the first draft was utter crap. But because of this long period i was able to crank out a slightly longer than normal chapter for you guys.

Any way here is the thirty fifth installment of Believe in Me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 35: What Drives Me

_Uhhhh……… Were we hit……? What happened? Where am I……?_

Zero sat up and looked around at the large, endless white space he was now a citizen of. It didn't matter which direction he looked in, each eyeful received the same image, an endless void of white.

"What is this place…? Am I dead…?"

"No! Of course not!" Zero snapped his head in all directions.

"Wha..? Where are you? Who are you?" Zero looked behind him… still nothing to be seen.

"Zero please, you know exactly who this is!" The voice came from in front of him.

"Wait… That voice… it can't be…!" He looked forward and spotted a short, beautiful brunette reploid wearing a red and blue dress. "Iris!?"

"Yes Zero it's me…"

"Then… I must be dead if I'm seeing you…"

"No!" She was quick to reply. "Zero you are not dead… you are far from dead."

"Then…"

"It's because our hearts were connected long ago Zero… not even death can sever bonds formed by the heart."

"Bonds of the heart…… if you are here then… it must be important."

"Yes it is… the reason you are not dead is because you must defeat my brother and get him to understand."

"That won't be easy… I…"

"I know I saw the whole fight… that is the other reason I came."

"Yes?"

"Never forget Zero… power stemming from hatred and anger is never enough to beat the power of the heart."

"The heart?"

"Yes…"

"But, Iris there is more than that… he claims to have your will within him and it makes him even stronger."

"He may have my will…… but your heart is stronger… and my heart will always be with yours… harness this power as my brother harnessed the rage and you will defeat him…"

"But what if even that is not enough?"

"Then use the power of the last heart that belongs to you…"

"Whose is that?"

"Oh Zero… you know who I'm talking about…"

"Ciel……"

"Yes… she needs you Zero, as do you need her. She is awaiting you now…"

"What…?" Iris walked to him, knelt down, and kissed him.

"This is the last time I will ever see you Zero, now go… It's rude to keep a lady waiting…"

"Iris…"

"Well Zero, please wake up now."

"Wake up……now……?" The light slowly grew brighter and brighter and everything went black.

"Zero… Please wake up… please……" Zero felt something squeeze his left hand and he slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they did, he could see strands of blonde hair that were not his own. He slowly turned his head to his left and there was Ciel.

"Ciel…?" Ciel looked up in an instant and looked Zero in the eye. Her face was wet with tears and she squeezed his hand again. It took her a second, but she smiled a little and closed her eyes before thrusting herself at him, curling her arms around his neck. She kept sobbing as she said his name, "Zero! Zero! Ohhh Zero you're alive!!!!" Zero sat motionless for a moment and then tried to move his right arm to embrace her, but he was interrupted by the searing pain that followed.

"Argh!" His arm fell limp again. Ciel released him.

"Be careful Zero, your injuries are severe."

"Where are we?" Zero questioned as his eyes scanned the small cube shaped room.

"I don't know. Outside this room is a dark hallway, but I don't know any more than that… I didn't want to leave you here alone." Ciel shifted herself so that she was sitting upright on the wall to Zero's left.

"Well… my auto repair systems could fix this damage, but in my body's current state I doubt the system would work quickly."

"What should we do?"

"I'm not sure where we are, but if Colonel kidnapped both of us by accident then this must be his base. And if it is, then there has to be storage room with spare energy capsules. All reploids have a stash of them."

"But how can we find them?"

"I can't… but you can…"

"Me?" Ciel looked worried. _He's not serious is he?_

"I can't move… so you are the only one who can find them…"

"But… what if I run into trouble? I can't fight!"

"Yes you can…" Zero held out his hand and the Z-gun appeared in it. "Take this… it is the most powerful handheld blaster ever built, unless you run into Colonel this blaster will destroy anything that threatens you."

"Z-Zero… I don't know… I've never used a weapon before…"

"This gun is integrated with my system… it's part of me… even if I can't move I can still protect you, just trust the weapon."

"Alright… I'll go look…"

"I'll be waiting… good luck." Zero really didn't want to send her out on her own, but he was immobilized and there was nothing he could do about it. Ciel was his only chance at recovery.

Ciel opened the door slowly, poking her head out to check both ways. She closed the door behind her and crept down the hallway. She assumed they were underground due to the cinderblock walls and the damp sewer-like smell. The only light that shown was provided by old flickering lights that dangled from the ceiling. Ciel came across a large metal door with a keypad next to it. Seeing no other path to follow, she gingerly set the Z-gun on the floor and pulled a hair pin out of her hair. She unwound the small piece of metal and began fidgeting at the rusty screws that held the panel in place. A quiet tap sounded through the dusk hallway as Ciel loosened the rusty screws and let them drop on the floor. With the panel unlatched, she tucked the hairpin away in a pocket and shifted the panel back and forth until it came loose. With the wires still attached, she examined the back of the keypad to find out which keys had been used. Keys two, five, seven, and eight were all worn down in the back and the rest looked as though nobody had ever touched them. Turning the small apparatus over to the front, she began entering all possible combinations for the four number button code. After three or four tries, 8527 was accepted, and the door creaked open slowly. The doorway led to a dusty staircase that led up. Taking her time with each step, Ciel edged toward the door at the stair's summit. She grabbed hold of the small doorknob and pushed the door open slightly with enough room to see what was on the other side. Pushing the door a little further she looked to the left and right to examine the area. The hallway was no different that downstairs, only it was clean and not dreary. It now resembled a military base more than a dungeon. Keeping her finger over the trigger, she continued through the halls, her heart pounding in fear of an encounter. She past many metal doors, none of which had keypads, she assumed that they were just rooms. Then she approached a simple modern sliding door with a button in front labeled open. Something clicked in her mind. _If it's just a storage closet, then it probably isn't well protected._ She pressed the button and the door hissed open. She was right. A room full of spare energy capsules. She quickly grabbed a max energy capsule and closed the door, quickening her pace into a slight jog in hopes of returning to Zero unseen. As she turned the last corner she instantly tuned around and darted back behind the wall peering around to catch a glimpse of a blue reploid sporting a shoulder cannon with his back turned. _It's that reploid Zero fought!_ She moved her head a little farther out to see what he was doing. He was setting up a robotic sentry to guard the door. Ciel began wondering how to deal with the new obstacle, when Vile suddenly turned and walked in her direction. She moved back quickly. What was she supposed to do now? She began to panic, dropped to a sitting position, and shut her eyes. The instant before Vile turned the corner he stopped to a quiet beeping noise that sounded from his belt. He pressed a button and began speaking.

"Yeah what is it? ……… Yes I finished putting up the sentries…………. Right now?... alright, alright, I'm coming…… sheesh……" Vile pressed the button again before turning around and walking in the opposite direction. When he disappeared around the opposite corner, Ciel exhaled a loud breath and peeked out again at the sentry. She slowly brought the Z-gun up and aimed at the sentries head and pulled the trigger with a quivering finger. She was definitely not ready for the recoil. She had always seen Zero fire the z-gun with a steady hand, so she was taken completely by surprise. Her arms flew up with the gun and she fell backward. There was the sound of a small explosion and she pushed herself upright to see the now headless sentry fall to the ground. She picked up the capsule and rushed into the door and closed it quickly behind her.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"You wanted to see me?" Vile stepped into an office fit for a high ranking military officer.

"Yes… Vile there are matters we must discuss." The chair swung around to reveal Colonel, sitting with his fingers intertwined in front of his face. "Vile… the plan was flawless and everything worked out, except for the end."

"Yes, yes, I know the original plan was to bag just the girl and make Zero believe she was dead, then wait for him to kill himself mentally yadda yadda."

"But we lassoed Zero as well by accident."

"So why not just kill him yourself?"

"If you let me finish you'll find out. The plans have changed. There is no way we can fake Ciels death and……"

"Why not just kill her for real I don't understand why you…"

"Dammit we don't kill humans! I told you before when I brought you back from the dead that we only aim to kill the reploids involved… I refuse to take the life of a human! Or…"

"Or what are you afraid we'll be called mavericks? In case you haven't realized, the maverick virus was wiped out by Zero. This goes back to your past doesn't it? Just because we were called mavericks doesn't mean we all were."

"What are you…?"

"You mean you don't know? I was never infected by the maverick virus… I just like to kill…" Colonel fixed his cold gaze on Vile

"In that case, my good friend, leave."

"What?!"

"You heard me… leave and never show your ugly helmet in front of me again."

"You can't be serious… just because I've a little murderous intent?"

"Will you go or do I have to make you go?" Vile stepped back at this comment. "It is obvious to me now that you wouldn't think twice about stealing my revenge… so I'm giving you half an hour to get your things together and leave. You should be grateful; I could kill you on the spot if I wanted to." Vile said nothing. He turned and left the room through the door whence he came and shut it behind him.

"Damn! I will not be tossed aside like a scrap of waste paper! I will kill Zero and Ciel before he can do anything about it. Then I'll disappear and leave him to live knowing revenge was never served by his hand……. Ok… I'll get my "things" together… we'll start with your research lab…heh heh heh……"

…

…

…

…

…

…

"That should be enough…"

"Wait there's still some energy left…"

"No we should save it for later. With this much energy my auto repair systems can function quickly if I'm inactive during repairs. Now we just wait a little while."

"How long do you think it will take?"

"Well I'm not missing any limbs so it should only take five to ten minutes. Repairing existing systems is easy, but recreating missing components takes a while."

"I see." Ciel returned to her previous position beside Zero and a somewhat awkward silence loomed over them. Ciel had some questions on her mind, but she wasn't sure if it was the right time to ask them, mostly because she wanted to know more about Iris. She decided to ask anyway because the silence was clawing at her. "Zero?"

"Yes?"

"I know you talked about her when you recounted your past for us… but…"

"What would you like to know?"

"Well… what was she like? You know… in normal times?"

"Oh… well… she was always cheerful. Nothing ever seemed to bring her down; I mean it took a full scale war and a close encounter with a maverick infection to pull her away from it. She was a great person to talk to if you needed somebody to do so. I guess to put it simply, she was great just to have around… it always seemed like happiness followed her. I mean her influence was great enough to pull me out of my egotistic ways…"

"Wow it sounds like she was a nice person…"

"She is a nice person…"

"Is?"

"Yes… it doesn't matter if she's dead… because I always have her with me in my heart."

"Oh…" Ciel felt a little jealous.

"But, it's true she is not here in physical form. I will honor her by protecting all those dear to me… because she would have wanted that. And as times move on I find new people worth protecting, especially the person who finally filled the long lost gap in my heart…"

"Who is… oh!" Ciel was cut off by Zero looking into her eyes. He was talking about her! She was suddenly filled with joy from the words and blushed a deep shade of red. "Oh Zero……"

"Ciel we will get out of here alive alright? I promise."

"Yes I believe in you…" She leaned her head on Zero's left shoulder. "Zero?"

"Yes?"

"When this is all over… would you like to spend a little more time together?"

"I wouldn't want anything else."

…

…

…

Seven minutes past and Zero's auto repair system beeped. He rose from his spot and offered his hand to Ciel. She took it and stood up beside him.

"Let's go Ciel."

"Alright." They exited the room and Ciel guided Zero to the door that led upstairs. They reached the next floor and headed left past the broken sentry that lay at their feet.

"You used the gun? Impressive… you blew its head clean off!"

"S-Stop it! I didn't like it… I've never used a gun before!"

"I'm only joking… come on lets go…"

They made their way down the long corridor, around many corners and past the storage room door. After a few more doors they came into a large room.

"This looks like the training room back at the resistance base…" Ciel commented as they stepped into the room.

"Yes it…" Zero stopped. He could feel a presence. "Get back!" he jumped in front of Ciel and she stepped back into the doorway. Zero drew his saber and readied for an attack. "I know you are here! Show yourself!" There was a long silence followed by a faint tap and Ciel yelling.

"Zero lookout!" Zero spun around and slashed at Vile who barely dodged the swing, lucky only to lose his shoulder cannon, which short circuited and exploded on the ground. "I should have known."

"Well hello there Zero… we should make our reunions a special occasion…"

"That'd be just dandy Vile… I really love running into your ugly face whenever I don't want to."

"Let's cut the insult competition and get right to fighting okay?"

"Fine by me!" Zero held his saber out.

"Oh I know! Why don't we up the ante on the victory prize?" Force fields suddenly appeared on both sides of the doorway Ciel was in, trapping her.

"Ciel!"

"And not only that… but I have no weapons now that my cannon is gone… so lets get rid of yours!" Vile snapped his fingers and Zero's weapons began to glow blue, pull away from him, and attach themselves to the wall. "Don't bother trying to pull them out, they won't budge.

"Fine then" Zero exclaimed as if Vile's preparations were futile. "I don't need weapons to defeat you…" He pounded his right fist into his left palm.

"Ah now you see… I've taken a precaution for that as well." He pointed to a box on his belt. "You see this gadget? It is an ability copier. Kind of like the one X had only this one is external and can be attached to any reploid. I raided Colonel's research lab you see… and I found all sorts of interesting materials. This copier was among them. I also found a database from which I could download an ability… I chose a familiar one from one of your brothers." Vile pressed the button and he suddenly split into two.

"Gemini man…"

"That's right…" said the left Vile. "Surprised?"

"Not in the slightest… I could defeat two of you blind folded."

"Zero you take me for a fool! Of course I could never beat you even with two of me!" The two Viles merged back together.

"Then why?"

"Because of the last thing I found in the lab… locked tightly away in a safe that I cracked pretty easily." Vile held up a small piece of metal that seemed to shine bright as the sun. Zero could not believe his eyes.

"What?! No way! Is that……"

"Yes Zero this is Supra Force Metal!"

"Where did Colonel get his hands on such a dangerous thing!?"

"I seriously have no idea… but this…" He clutched the metal in his hands. "This will enhance Gemini man's powers beyond anything ever known." Zero scoffed. "Something funny?"

"No……… I just find it funny how often I've been reminded of my past experiences as of late. And I often wonder why…"

"Why what?"

"Why you are such a bloodthirsty power monger. I mean… you are not a Maverick yet you are violent and dangerous."

"You want to know why? Because it is what drives me…" Vile pressed the Supra Force Metal to the copy box on his belt and a bright light shown throughout the room. When the light cleared, Vile was still standing in place. "You see Zero… we live in a small world…" Another Vile appeared from the Vile's right.

"A world so small that nobody can have everything." Another to Vile's left.

"We need reason." Another to Zero's right.

"We need action." Another to Zero's left.

"We need influence." Another behind Zero to the right.

"We need power." Another behind Zero to the left

"We need life." Then the first spoke again.

"We all fight because fighting is what drives us."

"It is our reason."

"Our action."

"Our influence."

"Our power."

"Our life."

"It is what drives us Zero! Admit it! You cannot deny it!" Zero chuckled.

"But I will."

"What?!"

"Vile… let me tell you what drives me! It is not an ideal, an art, a fantasy, or any of the controlling factors you follow… it is a person… and you've locked her up… so in reality… you've given me more to fight for. So I will fight! Because of Ciel! She is the one who drives me to fight for what I believe in!!!"

The two Viles behind Zero each put a hand on one of Zero's shoulders.

---To be continued---

* * *

Alright! i hope you are all ready for a huge battle scene and those of you who are good with movies might recognize what i'm about to parody.

Once again i cannot saw how often i will be able to sit down and keep writing, basket ball is just about over (with a lousy season) and Track will be starting up soon. Luckily for me, Track takes up less time than football and basketball and being a second semester senior in highschool my homework load has been lifted, so HOPEFULLY i will be able to work more.

So it looks like we have about three or four chapters left of the main story, then i might write two or three extra chapters that put life to some ideas i've had that don't really fit into the story. plus the epilogue makes it come out to six to eight more chapters. Wow... it's hard to believe that i started writing this story back when i was a Sophomore in Highschool.

Thanks again to all those who read and review my work. You guys rock!

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	36. The Strength of a Thousand Men

WOW. its been like two/three months... sorry to leave you all in the dark for so long, but if i didn't i wouldn't have finished a bunch of secondary works i needed to send to Denison University for the creative writing program. So basically i had to sacrificing a HUGE amount of writing time to make sure i got a spot in this class. But now that that is over and done with i hope i can get back to my regulare schedual and FINISH this thing like i've wanted to for the past quarter year.

I know you guys have been waiting long and i'm sorry i was unable to let you guys know why, so i guess if any of you guys want to see some of the oneshot fiction works i submitted then i can email them to you, just let me know.

Anyway I finally got back to this and i had no idea how LONG it would take me to do a close to 100replica of this Scene from the Matrix. I ended up splitting the battle in half so i could get something out. I tried to get it double spaced, but the document manager won't let me do it for some reason... so sorry, it's a bit of an eyestrain, but it was something i wanted to experiment with so please tell me what you think.

But anyway, here i give you (the very long overdue) Thirty sixth installment od Believe in Me!

Story

"talking"

_Thingking_

**Emphasis**

(Me talking)

Enjoy!

(EDIT: i couldn't figure out the document manager so i just broke up the fight parts into 3-5 sentence paragraphs, i hope that makes it easier.)

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 36: The Strength of a Thousand Men

Zero instantly threw his arms up to knock the hands off his shoulders following up with a punch forward and a kick backward to knock back the Viles coming from in front and behind. Another Vile grabbed his right shoulder only to have it knocked off by a quick left chop from Zero. Using his centrifugal momentum, Zero swung his right arm to deliver a right chop to a Vile trying to sneak up from behind then bounce back and slam his left arm into the Vile whom he had left stunned by the left chop.

In flash of super speed Zero spun into a roundhouse kick, connecting with two more, then ducking to avoid another pair who attempted to swing from both sides. The one to Zero's right tried to grab hold of him, but Zero batted his hand away and threw both elbows back to knock them both down. As they fell another duo grabbed Zero by the shoulders. Zero broke their grip by spinning around fast and delivering a double punch, one to each, sending them stumbling.

After parrying another blow from the right, Zero turned to face six Viles. Four attacked from the front and two from the sides. Zero immediately struck blows to the Viles beside him and began parrying a series of blows from the four in front. One managed to land a hit on Zero's chest, knocking him into the hands of Two Viles. They held him tight as the four attackers approached Zero ready to let fly with punches.

Devising a plan in the wink of an eye, Zero locked his arms with the two who held him and jumped in a fashion that would have been a back flip if not for being bound by his enemy. The action forced the Viles to bend back as Zero kicked his legs out twice, each time connecting one foot to one Vile. The force from the kicks made the two holding him lose their grip and fall backward, leaving Zero with enough airborne motion to finish the flip.

No sooner did he land, a Vile attempted to grab him by the neck from the right. Zero grabbed him by the wrist to hold him steady and swung his arm into his opponent's side, knocking him to the ground. Another Vile was right behind the one now on the ground, with a futile attempt to punch Zero in the face. Zero merely redirected the force of the punch with fancy handwork only to do the same to another who came from the opposite direction.

After throwing a hard right elbow into the face of the Vile on the left, the Vile on the right along with another came forward to attack. Zero deflected their punches and gave a quick shot to the enemy on his right, it was so quick that the force of impact was delayed, knocking the Vile back a second later. Not losing a step, Zero deflected two punches that swung around from both sides and took the attackers out with lightning fast punches. He crouched down right after and roundhouse kicked a Vile sneaking up from behind following with a quick spin to knock the hand off his shoulder and tangled his left arm with the arm of another Vile, put his hand on its back and threw it into three others who approached knocking them all over.

Zero hopped into the air and double kicked a vile in the face, sending him skyward and turned mid fall to throw a Viles hand off his arm and deliver a hard left to its face. Zero was ready for the Vile whom he assumed would be right behind the one he had just dealt with, but another came from the right. He blocked their punches, but was forced back into the grip of three Viles behind him. Zero threw his right elbow back to knock off one, and then swung his arms under the other Viles' arms as he turned to face them. Using one arm he swept their hands off of him, with the other he swung a hard right, connecting with both of their faces, sending them flying back.

After ducking and punching another, he turned around to parry blows from two more as yet another two took his back. Zero grabbed and flipped the two he faced and turned to parry one punch from behind, returning the favor to its owner, and did the same to the other. Turning to his right, Zero parried a left hook and clothes lined the Vile who attempted it, and found him self caught between two charging enemies.

After blocking a hit from one, he stood sideways and threw punches out to his sides, knocking them both away. One held its ground however, and challenged Zero again. Taken by surprise, Zero was forced to focus completely the single Vile, and once he had dealt with it, Zero received hard crack to the face, spinning him completely around.

Using every circumstance to his advantage, Zero stuck out his leg at the climax of the spin to kick a Vile off to the side in the face before he regained his balance to face the only successful attacker. Zero easily took him out by grabbing its arm and slamming his leg into his foe's stomach, but he has unaware of a Vile who had snuck into his blind spot and he paid the price for it. The Vile delivered a hard head on blow into Zero's stomach. The force of the blow made Zero slide backward a few feet into a Vile who tried to get him in a bear hug. Zero quickly reached over and took hold of the Vile's head and used his own body as a lever to fling the enemy over his back and towards the advancing force. Two managed to duck out of the way and one took to the air to avoid impact, but the two furthest behind collided with the life sized projectile.

Up and ready, Zero stomp kicked one Vile and jumped to spin kick the Vile behind him. The intentional finesse was quite a blunder on Zero's part however. As he turned to his left he was cold-cocked in the face violently enough to knock him off his feet. Ignoring his finesse blunder, Zero placed his hands on the ground mid flip and kicked a Vile coming up from behind while upside-down, then using the ricochet of the kick to change directions and get revenge for his face by giving the Vile back in front a shot to the chest.

Zero cursed under his breath as two Viles grabbed hold of him, one on each arm. Zero wrapped his wrist around to grab hold of the arms and lift himself into the air and kick outward, relieving his arms of the Viles' clutches. As a Vile threw a punch from his right, Zero dodged by throwing his own legs out from under him, then he followed up by using the dodge to attack a Vile behind him with a kick to the face. Pushing off the face of the Vile, he hit the one in front with an elbow thrust.

This series off attacks left Zero airborne and he was forced to fall to the ground. The Viles, of course, wanted to use this to their advantage, but Zero supported himself on his hands and delivered a hard upward kick to the first Vile to reach him. Leaving no opening, He turned around to fully get up and ended up kicking another Vile while his back was turned. Unfortunately for Zero, he did not see all of them. A Vile managed to get a decent hold on him and Zero found himself being lifted into the air and thrown. He landed on his back near the wall and was beginning to lift himself up when he saw a Vile streaking through the air in attempt to land on Zero. Zero kicked the wall to push himself out of the way and did a quick backward roll into a handspring to regain his footing.

Once on his feet he confronted a Vile who tried to land on him by giving it a swift kick to the face. Two Viles approached and locked themselves in combat with Zero. As one more arrived from his right, Zero knocked out one to keep his opponents to two; Zero now had an enemy in front and behind him. After giving each one a kick to the torso he spun around and kicked another trying to sneak in from a blind spot. As another attacked, Zero ducked as usual, but instead of leaving it at that, he kicked his foot under the foot of his attacker and lifted him into the air before kicking him into another Vile, clipping him with his own clone.

Viles continued to swarm from all around in a never ending storm of attacks. However, Zero laughed in the face of the mighty storm as he charged at two more incoming enemies. The simultaneous attack caught him off guard, and Zero took a shot to the stomach, knocking him into the arms of an enemy behind him. Unable to move at first, Zero suffered a direct hit across the face which a Vile had swung violently at him. Shaking it off as if nothing happened, Zero used his binder to support himself as he delivered kicks to the enemies in front of him. Zero threw his fist over his shoulder to throw his captor off balance and flung him over his shoulder into the army of approaching clones. Two were hit by the incoming body, but the rest advanced quickly. As the first drew near Zero met him at the point of attack, blocking the oncoming punch and giving a direct blow to the face in return.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he quickly spun around, getting a hold of the Vile by the back of his neck. Pulling towards himself, Zero robbed the Vile's feet the pleasure of solid ground and arm chopped it in the chest so it's back would know the graces instead. Knowing his enemy too well Zero turned around, jumped slightly into the air, and delivered a powerful double kick to the Vile he predicted would be there. The first kick was light, but the second sent the Vile hurling into the air. As the Vile hit the ground, it got up slowly and looked in the direction of the fight. He heard a voice from behind him.

"You know you'll never beat him." Vile turned to Ciel, whom was still caught in the energy field. "Zero doesn't fight for his own amusement like you. He has real reasons that give him power." Vile was silent for a moment, but scoffed at the captive scientist.

"You are no different from him you know that? All the justice and reason talk… you are both so full of it… Ok then how about I propose this theory to you? Maybe Zero's reason has more juice than mine, but why get power through romantic scenarios, When I can get it from one little piece of glowing metal?" Vile pressed another button on the copy box and he split into ten more Viles. Ciel gasped at the sight. "Now if you'll excuse me…" Ciel couldn't tell which one was talking to her. "… I must take the new guys to help out the rest of me!" The ten Viles charged into combat.

"Argh!" Zero grunted as he took a punch directly in the face. The force sent him airborne and he skidded to a halt after a brief flight. He did a quick handspring to get to his feet, jump into the air, and split kick forward and back to knock out two Viles that had flanked him. Two more rushed forward. Zero caught their arms and flipped them over. Turning quick, Zero caught glimpse of the new Viles heading for him. Hearing more footsteps Zero looked around and two more groups appeared from other directions.

_Dammit… this is getting out of hand…_ Zero threw his fist over his shoulder to knock out an approaching Vile. _If this keeps up… I might have to switch to my black armor…_ Zero took on the Viles near him as the other groups began to circle him. Three from the group charged at him. Zero jumped over the first two, leaving them to run into their teammates, while the last one received a kick to the jaw, and a mouthful of floor. Zero was finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the ever increasing numbers. This time two of the Viles managed to get a simultaneous attack on Zero. Zero received the double punch to the chest and was sent flying towards the wall. Before impact he flipped over and kicked off the wall, flying through two and punching one as he landed.

Again Zero suffered a blow to the face, this time he held his ground and trip kicked his attacker, knocking him off his feet. Zero realized that he'd have to be more mobile to be effective. Using a nearby Vile as a booster, Zero kicked off the enemy and rocketed into the air flipping twice and landing in an empty spot. Zero bicycled kicked the first vile to reach him, turning his foe into a flailing ragdoll to knock down three incoming Viles. Zero decided to use finesse moves to stay mobile, he started by kicking off a Vile to twist in mid air and follow up by landing the back of his fist on the helmet of a Vile. Then quickly twirling to roundhouse kick one behind him.

These moves kept the Viles from downright swarming him, in groups anyway. Two managed to sneak up from behind, trying to pull the old "we'll hold them you hit them" technique. Zero kicked the incoming Vile, swung his head side to side to knock the two Viles off with his helmet, and swung around in midair, kicking off of three incoming. Upon landing he grabbed the next Vile by the arm and tossed him into an incoming group, arm chopped an enemy to his side, and kicked off an approaching threat to send him self flying away from the swarm.

This attempt to create space was foiled by one vile that intercepted Zero in midair like a projectile colliding with a jet. They tumbled on the ground; Zero pushed off to regain balance and kicked the Vile that had caught him. The Vile slid towards the advancing swarm and disappeared behind the hulking numbers. Zero repelled the first wave with two punches and a few kicks as the large group began to circle him again. Zero sensed this and kicked off a Vile's chest to spin around in the air, kick the Vile at the front of the circling group, and knock him into the ranks. As the rest of the group advanced Zero kept losing room to maneuver and began taking punches while he tried to retaliate. Eventually two grabbed him by the shoulders while one gave Zero a wallop in the stomach. The force behind this strike sent Zero careening towards the wall with the impact denting the walls brutally. Zero cropped to one knee and coughed.

"What's the matter Zero? Fatigue setting in?" Zero rolled his eyes at the cocky statement, which he wasn't sure exactly which Vile it came from.

"Heh… maybe a little." Zero clutched something that had fallen beside him. "I bet I could still win with just my fists…" Zero stood up. He was holding the triple rod. "But I guess using one weapon could speed things up a bit!"

"What? How did you break the field?"

"You hit me into this…" The Vile in front looked at Zero's weapons still attached to the wall and noticed Zero's point of impact to be where the triple rod once was. "And I guess the force of impact canceled the barrier."

"This changes nothing!" The Vile ran forward rearing back for a punch. Zero Twirled around and smacked the Vile in the side, literally sending the Vile into the wall in an instant. The other Viles turned to look at the pair of legs sticking out of the wall, then back at Zero.

"Oh something changed alright… Now it's round two… let's dance bucket heads!!"

--To be continued--

* * *

Well there we go. The triple rod will be the parody of the random poll Neo pulled out of the ground. Hope it wasn't too obvious. But hey, the battle continues, and the conclusion will bring about the beginning of the end. I still can't believe i've been going on this for two years now... thank god for the megaman Zero games keeping me interested.

Once again i apalogize for the long and mysterious wait, but i really had no choice. Again if anyone would like to read some of the stuff i had to write, i have the documents right here so if you want to read them let me know and i'll e-mail them to you. It's the least i can do.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	37. Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

Hello all! it feels great to have time to write again, although i'm still pressed for time with all the football training and my job. This fic is nearing completion, something i 've been looking forward to. completing this fic will be a milestone in my life, because it will mark the fuirst full length project i've completed. I'll be honest, my Zelda fic (aside from being horribly written with amature written all over it) was cut short because 1 i ran out of ideas) and two, i was getting tired of writing it. But this is a different story (sorry bad pun .).

anyway, here is the thirty seventh installment of Believe in Me.

Story

_thinking_

"talking"

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 37: "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick." –Teddy Roosevelt

_There he goes again. _Ciel watched her crimson knight engage in battle. It was strange though. Countless times in the past had she called upon and sent him into battle, but it seemed different, no… it **looked** different. Zero's movement no longer looked so cold, or so frozen in step and technique. Perhaps it was the expiation of what Iris had left behind in his heart that caused him to discard his shell and end his dissimilation from his true feelings. He now looked so free and, dare I say, happy. A word up until now would never have been used to describe Zero. Ciel closed her eyes, sighed, and blushed a little as she thought of how much the two of them had been through and how things will most likely end up if… no… when they survive. _All I can do now though… is encourage him! _"Go Zero! Fight!"

"RAH!" Zero switched the triple rod from spear mode to staff mode and swung the staff back and forth to knock out the prelude of the swarm ahead. He followed up with a massive back flip that catapulted him over the cluster of enemies. Upon landing he caught one Vile on the edge of the staff and swung him into an approaching group, then wound up and delivered a mighty blow to a Vile sneaking up from behind, sending it in the opposite direction at quite a high velocity.

Recovering quickly, Zero used his momentum to jump towards another Vile and slam him to the ground with a downward swing. Before landing he used the ricochet of the previous blow to bounce back and sideswipe a Vile in the face behind him. And continue the rotation to knock out another approaching. Noticing a circle closing around him, Zero ended the rotation with a 360 degree leg sweep, tripping every Vile within a seven foot radius.

One Vile, managed to jump over the sweep, but he probably would have been better off not doing so. The conclusion of Zero's violent rotation met the Vile in mid air, sending it through a section of the wall high up near the Ceiling faster than one could blink. Zero began delivering mighty blows, one right after another, each swipe knocking down four or five enemies at once. One tried to get behind Zero, but you'd think Vile had learned by now that it was ineffective. Without looking, Zero spun the staff around and delivered a concentrated blow to the Vile's chin, sending it flipping through the air like a helpless rag doll and falling on an approaching group.

Twirling the staff back and forth across his body, Zero took a few steps back and intercepted an incoming Vile with a similar chin blow; only this one absorbed the Vile's momentum completely, letting it fall to the ground as if it had jumped in place. One Vile, tried to use it's comrade as a surprise and jump from behind it. Zero immediately struck the Vile so hard that it was up against the wall on the other side of the room. The Vile stood up and grunted to itself.

"This is not good… I need more!"

Two Viles managed to get a hold on the two ends of Zero's staff between attacks. Zero saw this not as a problem, but as an opportunity. He swung on the now supported bar to kick two Viles ahead of him, then arm chopped the two holding the staff in the face. The bar dropped from their hands as they stumbled back. Zero kicked the bar into an approaching Vile and caught it as it bounced off the enemy. Quickly he used the staff to support himself as he kicked two incoming into groups behind them, causing a domino effect. Suddenly one grabbed Zero from behind.

_What?! Where did he come from?! _Zero quickly hoisted the Vile off his back using the staff as a lever and faced the crowd. Suddenly, even more Viles seemed to appear out of thin air. Zero knocked away another enemy behind him, and then looked around. More and more Viles kept appearing until Zero found himself surrounded by a giant swarm of his old enemy. He began attacking in any direction connecting with whatever was in his way. Zero began spinning violently before and after every move, to keep the Viles from getting to close to over run him. He took to the air in an instant as a Vile dove for his legs. Using the staff as a support, he thrust it into the Viles back and began spinning in circles around the staff, knocking out anything that got close. As he spun he began to charge the energy in the staff.

Zero seized the spin and got punched in the face right after. Holding firm, Zero unleashed the energy, causing the ends of the staff to spark with energy. He began twirling the staff as he swung it around, hitting anything that just happened to be in the way with not true target in mind. Eventually the Viles caught on and began dodging the formidable attack.

As the energy dissipated Zero turned to see a Vile land on him and pry the staff out of his hands. Before Zero could counter, the Vile kicked him in the stomach, sending Zero through the hoard of Viles. Zero quickly saw the predicament he was in. "Hienkyaku!!" Zero was gone from the spot in the blink of an eye; he began weaving through the crowd of Viles in hopes to find some means of attack. As he approached the wall, Zero kicked off the surface and began jumping off the heads. They grabbed at his legs, but zero concentrated on moving lightly and efficiently, that was, until a Vile came hurling through the air and tackled him. They tumbled to the ground and the Viles began piling on top of Zero to hold him down.

Zero was forced down onto one knee as he tried to fight back the pressure being applied to him. One Vile got right up into Zero's face.

"Hehehehe… You see Zero… in the end, what drove me was more powerful!" Zero kept struggling.

"Zero! You can do it!" Ciel yelled from the sidelines. It was quite a change for her. In the past whenever Zero was in danger she would freak out and lose her cool, but now… now she was so confident that he would win no matter what. She knew he would win. "Give him everything Zero!" Zero managed to lift his right arm and curled his hand into a fist.

"So naïve to the end, eh Vile?"

"I hardly think you are in any condition to taunt me Zero……" Zero's fist was now glowing with energy. "What?!"

"Vile, did you already forget what I said before we fought?" Zero's fist began to shine brightly. "I…" Zero managed to lift his other knee off the ground. "WILL…" Zero straightened his legs. "FIGHT…" Zero brought his body upright. "FOR…" Zero was now standing up with the Viles still piled on top of him and he raised his glowing fist above his head. "CIEL!! RAKUHOUHA!!" Zero suddenly dropped to the ground again and pounded his fist into the floor. A **massive **wave of energy erupted from the ground and formed into an expanding dome around Zero. The Viles flew in every direction, as the explosion of energy pinned every single one of them to the wall and cieling. As the energy dissipated, bodies began raining down from above. Suddenly, the Viles began to vanish in bright flashes of yellow light. Zero and Ciel watched as the light show lessened the body count one by one, until there was only one remaining. Vile propped himself up on his elbows.

"What? What's happening?" He looked down at his belt and saw the copy box crackle and fizz out. "No!" He began fiddling with it as Zero progressed toward him. Vile, noticing this, began trying to regain his footing franticly. Once he failed to do so he stared up at his old adversary. "Heh….heh heh, well! Good fight Zero wasn't that fun?" Zero stopped directly in front of him. Vile was desprately thinking of ways to save himself. "Yeah, it was enjoyable! You liked it! I really… uh… really put your abilities to the test huh?" Zero called his arm cannon and pointed it at Vile's head.

"Get lost." Zero charged and fired; and that was the end of that. Zero's weapons detached form the wall and Ciel's makeshift prison shorted out. She calmly stepped out of the doorway and trotted towards him. "Are you alright?" Zero was first to ask as he reclaimed his weapons. Ciel smiled cutely with her eyes closed.

"Me? I'm not the one who just fought a thousand identical twins."

"It was no…"

"…big deal, right?" Zero raised an eyebrow and let out a soft chuckle. "I know you too well Zero." Zero finished recalling all of his weapons and smirked at her.

"You **know **me huh?"

"Oh I have my knowledge…" Ciel taunted him.

"Have you ever known me to do this?" Zero suddenly stepped forward and picked her by the waist, slinging her over his shoulder and heading out the exit.

"AAAH! ZERO!" yelled a VERY red Ciel as she pounded on his back.

"Huh? Who's that talking to me?" Zero joked as he turned around twice while walking through the new brightly lit corridor. "Oh hey! This looks like the exit! It'll be great if we can get out without running into Colonel."

"That's peachy… now put me down!"

"I don't know… you might get stuck in a force field again." Zero laughed as Ciel gave up trying to get free.

"Ok, ok fine." Zero put her down in front of the door. "Well wasn't that an adventure?" Ciel playfully glared at him, a little frazzled, but she was happy. She was still in awe of how much Zero had changed in the course of a few weeks.

_All his emotions were bottled up for so long… maybe he's just trying to cut loose a little bit. Heh… I'm not complaining, I like him much better this way._

"Alright, in all seriousness now, stay close to me when I open this door. For all we know Colonel still may have some nasty surprise waiting for us." Ciel refocused.

"Okay… I'll be right behind you." Zero pressed the button on the door panel and it hissed open. Upon stepping out, Zero immediately noticed where they were.

"This is…!" It hadn't changed much, in fact the only difference was that it had been dug up and battered a little bit. "… So THAT'S why the interior looked so familiar!"

"Zero where are we?" Zero looked around. The building formed into an L shape, with roads that led out in both directions. Within the right angle of the building there was a grassy field with a large inactive fountain in the center. The statue on the fountain was a large R. Further out past the fountain and the field, was an enormous radio tower, made for communication and air traffic control for airfields that were once nearby.

"This is Relpliforce Headquarters…" Zero answered. Ciel was astonished by the extinct site that lay before her. "Colonel must have dug it up to use as his base of operations."

"Very perceptive Zero!" Zero's head snapped towards the radio tower.

"Colonel…"

"You didn't think you could just leave could you?"

"I was hoping you'd be taking a nap or something!" Zero yelled back, annoyed. Colonel rocketed from the tower and landed heavily in front of Zero. Ciel yelped and hid behind Zero, clinging to his arm.

"Unfortunate for you, but how fortunate for me…" His eyes shifted to Ciel and then back to Zero. "Now I can **really** carry out my revenge." Zero noticed the glance.

"This time you leave Ciel out of it."

"I'm afraid that's out of the question." Ciel clung to Zero's arm tighter.

"Dammit Colonel! Why can't we just settle this like we used to?"

"Because I need to even the score!"

"The score? But… oh no…"

"You know exactly what I mean don't you."

"For God's sake Colonel!" Zero pointed angrily at the soldier. "How many times do I have to tell you that Iris' death was an accident!" Colonel pointed back at him.

"And how many times do I have to tell you that I don't give a damn what you say!" Colonel drew his sword and pointed it at Zero. "**Your **death will not satisfy anything! **Her **death will make you feel the pain and suffering that I have! **THIS **is the revenge I now seek!" Silence. Zero's arm fell back to his side and he stared at the ground.

"…………………heh."

"Something funny Zero?"

"So that's your revenge huh?"

"What are you babbling about?"

"Knock me down and kill Ciel in front of me…"

"Yes…"

"What a shame…"

"Excuse me?!" Zero raised his sight from the ground and faced Colonel.

"Colonel… you are dead set on this revenge… I can tell… its just like back in the day, every time you had your mind set on something you would pursue it passionately until it was fulfilled…"

"What are you getting at?"

"It's a pity that you won't achieve it."

"WHAT?! How high and mighty we sound! I'll make you eat those words!" Colonel's wrists sparked with the energy of rage and he sprung at Zero as Ciel dove for cover. There was a bright flash the instant before impact and Zero stood exactly where he had been, donning his black armor, with the blade of Colonel's sword stopped against the palm of his hand.

"I won't be eating anything… Colonel… you cannot beat me, because I've discovered something. Something that will give me the definite advantage in this battle." Colonel withdrew and stepped back.

"Well what is this so called discovery of yours?!"

"Why don't you come find out for yourself?"

There was a silence. The old stare down. Unlike his bout with Sigma however, Zero found that he did not run through past battles in his mind. The only battle that concerned him now, was the battles of the present and the battles of the future. Unlike Colonel, Zero had accepted his past for what it had become. He was through holding old grudges and past mistakes. There was no looking back now, but Zero needn't worry about that, because now he was only looking in one direction……… forword.

As if their minds worked in synch, they both called out to each other, "EN GUARD!"

--To be continued--

* * *

ALRIGHT its here... the final battle. BUT NOT the final chapter! As i mentioned before (or at least i think i have) there will be three or 4 more chapters plus the epilouge after the main storyline is concluded. I just a few extra things that were on my mind that i couldn't work into the main story.

Once again i thank all those who read and review this fic, you guys are awsome!

Please read and review!!

Flashgunner over and out!


	38. From the Heart

YAAAAAAY! i finally got this done!! i should have been finished 2 weeks ago, but something came up and i had to leave for college football camp before i could finish it. 2 grueling weeks of hard work on the field and i finally had enough time and stregth to finish this chapter... the conclusion to the 3rd story arc is here!

This is the thirty eighth installment of Believe in Me. (BUT NOT THE LAST!)

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy! (the moment... it draws near!!)

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 38: From the Heart

What is a rivalry? How does a rivalry begin? How does a rivalry become bitter? So many questions yet at that moment neither Zero nor Colonel could have cared about them. They weren't lost in their past battles, neither were they bent on old competitions. They both had new reasons to fight, new reasons to drive them as they locked in a new battle. This time there was no pride on the line. The stakes were higher and much more tangible. With nothing to follow as if they had fought for the first time, the two realized that this was a straight up fight.

"RAAAH! The two yelled in unison as they blew up large dust clouds in their wake.

"Hienkyaku!" Zero yelled the instant before they clashed. In a heartbeat Zero was behind Colonel. Colonel predicted the attack pattern and turned to block a quick slash before Zero used the Hienkyaku again to attack from above. Colonel barely blocked this one and the force knocked him off balance. He quickly regained himself with a hand spring.

"Pulling out moves already Zero? That's not like you." Zero landed a few meters away and stayed in his battle stance.

"I'm just sick of always running into fights every time things seem so settle down. All I'm doing is trying to move this along." Colonel's wrists began to spark lightly as Zero finished.

"I'll humor you then…" Colonel fired backward and landed on the side of the base. Zero followed this movement with his eyes and took off towards his rival. As Colonel rocketed from the base, the shockwave shattered the windows and knocked loose corroded sections of the structure. As the two closed in and clashed the glass and debris rained upon them gradually. They were soon locked in an intense mid air test of each other's sword play. Again and again their swords connected at high speeds, each clash sent out a large shockwave that made the falling glass and debris dance around them as they fought. They eventually landed and broke apart; they circled each other for a brief moment before Colonel fired a sonic boom towards the black clad hero. Zero swung his free arm at the sonic boom and dissipated the energy of the attack. Colonel had followed the blast however, in attempt to attack in the sonic boom's shadow. Colonel shifted to a low incoming stance with his saber reared back, but keeping it pointed forward with the tip near his own face.

_That stance… _Zero thought as Colonel approached. _Colonel's basic attack pattern! Doesn't he realize I know this sequence by heart?_ Zero readied himself to counter. Colonel pushed his saber forward straight towards Zero's face. _Thrust! _Zero moved his head to the side slightly and let the saber pass right by him. Colonel twisted his wrist slightly. _Swing! _Zero stepped back as Colonel cut horizontally at the air. After missing he spun around and primed the saber above his head. _Smash! _Colonel swung down fiercely. _Now interfere the attack right HERE! _A little more than halfway through the swing, Zero swung upward, hitting Colonel's saber at just the right angle at just the right time to disrupt Colonel's form and balance, ultimately sending the swing right back in the direction it came from. _Now attack! _Zero moved in for an attack; however Colonel dropped the saber out of his forced back right hand behind his back and into his left hand below his waist. Using a left handed backward hold on his saber, colonel quickly swiped a surprise attack. Zero caught glimpse of this maneuver an instant before impact and flipped his wrist to get the saber up as fast as possible. He blocked the blow, but was tossed off balance because his balance was weak in the awkward stance he was forced to take. Zero glanced back up at Colonel from the ground to find a saber pointed at his neck.

"Never forget to expect the unexpected… especially when you are sure you know what's coming."

"Lectures Colonel? This is new…" Zero cocked a sarcastic smile.

"I just didn't think you'd fall for such an easy trick."

"Maybe I'm not trying hard enough…" Colonel face tightened at this comment.

"I don't think **you're** taking this seriously enough… maybe missing an arm would help you focus!" Colonel swiped the his saber to the right, but Zero twisted his waist so the saber passed right under his left armpit, and to Colonel's surprise, Zero dropped his saber and clutched the energy blade of Colonel's with his hands. "What!?"

"Expect the unexpected Colonel!" With a jerk, Zero wrenched the saber out of Colonel's grip and thrust the hilt into Colonel's chest. Colonel focused on his saber, grabbed it, and forced it out of Zero's hands. With Colonel focused on his weapon, Zero moved in to strike and drove his elbow into Colonel's face with enough force to lift him off his feet and send him careening into the building with a loud crash. The minor tremor at the building's base caused a large portion of the side to collapse as well, leaving behind a pile of rubble. Zero dropped his stance for a moment, but immediately took it again when the pile of rubble began to shift. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the pile and the debris was tossed up into the air as if hit by an airstrike.

_Oh no! Ciel! _Zero dashed toward Ciel who was screaming at the pile of rocks heading for her. Zero managed to get in front just in time to cut the incoming rocks to pieces. As the rest of the debris fell around the landscape, Ciel sighed in relief and Zero glared towards the lightning bolts impact zone. Colonel stepped out of the crater as if unfazed by the previous events of the battle.

"I can't quite discern it…" Zero cocked an eyebrow.

"Discern what?" He asked the approaching soldier.

"Before you fought you said you had made a discovery that would aid you in battle." Colonel rested his saber on his shoulder. "I can't quite put my finger on it, however you are radiating a familiar energy… tell me!" Colonel looked somewhat irritated.

"I thought I told you to figure it out yourself." Colonel removed the saber from atop his shoulder and struck a piece of debris so intensely that it shattered.

"Don't play games with me! Everything you've done since we've fought has had a strange feeling to it… I almost felt drawn to it, I pressed harder because I had to know. Why is it like this?!"

"Maybe… because the energy your feeling, I gained from Iris…" Colonel's eyes shot open.

"WHAT!? You expect me to believe that!?" He clenched his saber tightly.

"It's true. When I was out cold before awaking in your base, I had a vision. A vision born from the connection I shared with iris…" Colonel's grip tightened on the saber. "She told me that I had to stop you and make you understand. She reminded me that her heart will always be with me and that as long as I harness the power of our connection you will never defeat me."

At that moment something snapped inside Colonel, his eyes began to glow with hatred, and his body suddenly began sparking all over with the red electricity of his rage powers. There was a shockwave that created wind as the energy output from Colonel reached its max. "ENOUGH!! YOU WILL SPEAK NO MORE OF IRIS!! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS NOW!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!" Colonel burst forward with tremendous speed. Zero sidestepped away from Ciel to divert his opponent away from her. He took to the air right as Colonel Thrust forward with his saber. Zero readied his saber for a diving strike, but Colonel changed his direction in an instant and Zero found himself helpless in the air.

"ZERO!" Ciel shrieked as she saw Colonel stab through him, or so it looked. Zero twisted his waist just in time to only receive a gash on his side. He escaped death, but received another slash across the chest.

"ARGH!" Zero grunted as he tried to regain mid air control, but Colonel kicked him down to the ground. Zero got to his feet to see Colonel charging again. _He's using his basic thrust form, but with his rage energy output it has become a deadly attack!_ Zero watched the tip of Colonel's sword fly towards his face again. _If I take to the air, the same result will ensue… instead… _Zero thrust the tip of his saber to a point right behind the tip of Colonel's. _Counter and disru… _Before Zero could initiate the attack, Colonel knocked Zero's saber away from the zone between them and delivered an elbow to Zero's face, knocking him to the ground again. Realizing the same attack could come yet again, Zero rolled backward and got to his feet quickly to see Colonel preparing to charge again. _This time I'll take the initiative!_ Zero charged forward. Colonel reacted by thrusting early, but Zero disappeared. Zero had tried shifting below and attacking, but Colonel saw right through it and thrust his knee out to hit Zero in the chin. Zero flipped mid flight and landed on his feet. _DAMN! Is anything going to work!?_ Then Zero remembered.

"_But what if even that is not enough?"_

"_Then use the power of the last heart that belongs to you…"_

Zero glanced at Ciel, who had her hands clasped together over her heart as she viewed the battle from afar. _That's it! Ciel…with you and Iris with me there is nothing I can't overcome!_

Ciel noticed Zero glancing at her briefly. _He's taking a beating! But… theres nothing I can do……… physically…_ She closed her eyes. _My heart is yours Zero! I will pray for your success!_

With a newfound motive, Zero took an offensive stance as Colonel rushed toward him with the same thrust variant attack in mind. Zero merely sidestepped the thrust. Colonel immediately went into a side slash before Zero could react, or so it seemed. In a split second, Zero brought up his saber to block the attack, but instead of taking time to remove his saber and attack, he dropped his saber and rode the force of impact into a circular motion like a centrifuge. As he spun Zero called out his triple rod and ended the rotation with a mighty blow to the back of Colonel's neck. Colonel was sent careening foreword and collided with a large pile of debris.

"RAHHHH!!" Colonel pushed himself off the pile and rocketed toward Zero. Zero in turn, charged as well, exchanging the rod for his saber as he past. There was an impact as the two whisked past each other. "RRRGGGHHH!!" Colonel grunted as he looked down to see a new gash cut into his body. Zero was now on the offensive and charging at Colonel. Colonel wound up a vertical slash and swung just as Zero reached him, but halfway through the swing he suddenly did not have a saber anymore. Zero had used his left hand to rap Colonel on the wrists to loosen the grip on the saber and then kicked the saber away.

"Heeya!!" Zero roared as he swung at the weaponless soldier. But midway through his swing, his hands were shocked by a volt of electricity. Zero looked down to see Colonel's right hand sparking and sending a small energy output to his hand. Before he had time to think, Zero met a barrage of punches. Zero was hit a lot at first, but he eventually slipped in a guard and took the blows to his forearms while he strategized his next move. But when Zero moved in for his own attack, Colonel shifted behind him and got a choke hold on him. _He's… trying to snap my neck off! _

Zero struggled violently, but he could not escape the iron grip.

"Zero! You can do it! You can break free!" Ciel's encouraging words caught not only Zero's ears, but also Colonel's. He suddenly shot a heated glare in Ciel's direction that made her shrink back in fear.

"Hey you! I told you to keep her out of this!" Zero yelled as he thrust his head backward into Colonel's face.

"ARGH!" Colonel grunted as he dropped Zero. Zero landed on his hands and hand stand kicked Colonel in the lower jaw, sending him into the air. Quickly pulling out his chain rod, Zero latched it into Colonel's chest plate and swung downward, sending Colonel slamming to the ground violently as if he jumped off a skyscraper onto a pile of bricks. Zero returned the chain and stood silently near Colonel's body. Colonel was still breathing a grunting out of anger.

"You see Colonel? With Iris's heart I was able to defeat you, all it needed was a little boost from Ciel's heart. Colonel slowly picked himself up off the ground and glared into Zero's eyes with a painful wish of vengeance still burning deep in his rage. "It's over Colonel, stay down."

"NO!"

"Colo…"

"SHUT UP!! I SAID I WOULD KILL YOU!! AND I WILL!! I WILL DO IT FOR IRIS!!" The sparks reanimated themselves from his body. Zero was surprised to see he had any energy left. "I'LL DO ANYTHING TO KILL YOU AND THAT GIRL!! EVEN IF IT MEANS EXCHANGING MY CONSIOUS FOR POWER!!" Steam began to rise off of his body as the sparks became more and more intense.

"Colonel stop! You'll destroy yourself!" But he was already gone. Colonel's eyes were pure white. Zero only saw two movements. First Colonel was standing over his saber, then suddenly he was behind Zero with his saber wound up and ready to strike. Zero used the Hienkyaku to dodge the attack and create distance, but when he cancelled the dash boosters Colonel had managed to keep up and was behind Zero again. With his saber out in front around Zero he tried to slice Zero's neck, but he was stopped by Zero defending with a quick block from his saber. _He's rid himself of any conscious thought! He's like an empty shell with only one purpose… to kill! He really sacrificed his soul for more power! _Zero realized that Colonel was no longer behind him. He had dropped his saber and was now making his way in front of Zero, but Zero himself could barely follow his moves. Before he could put together a plan, Zero received a fierce punch to the stomach. As he stepped back from the sudden impact, Colonel delivered more high impact punch followed by a kick to the chest and a tremendously powerful blow to the face that sent Zero crashing into the old Repliforce water fountain. Zero supported himself with one arm as he struggled to see what was happening from the debris of the fountain. Colonel had taken to the air and was now flying towards Zero like a missile. There was nothing Zero could do. Ciel closed her eyes as the impact sounded through the plains. She opened her eyes only to be met with an even more terrible sight. Colonel had pushed Zero to trench through the ground and they were now right next to her and his armor was no longer black. Colonel picked up Zero by the head and smashed him into the ground, and repeated the process five times. Tears came to Ciel's eyes as she watched the torture. To finish, Colonel jumped high into the air and thrusted Zero down with much greater force.

"ZERO!!" Ciel yelled as the impact shockwave blew her off her feet. She was blown back a good ten meters and landed with a thud on the front walk of the base. She looked up and saw Colonel standing over Zero. "No… Ze… Zero……" Colonel turned to her and began advancing. "Zero… get up…" Half of her was yelling at her to run, but the other half didn't want to move away from Zero. Colonel was now upon her. Clenching his fists, he was ready to strike.

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"ZERO!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!"

Colonel suddenly flew forward, right over Ciel and landed upright before turning to see Zero. His eyes were also white with no sign of expression. This worried Ciel. _No! Did he give up his conscious as well!?_ Suddenly Zero offered her a hand. Surprised, she took it and he gently helped her get up before rocketing in Colonel's direction. _He still has some of his conscious! He didn't fully sacrifice himself! _

"RAAAAAAHH!!" Zero cried out as he punched Colonel across the face. The force made Colonel fly off his feet. Zero shifted behind and below Colonel, kicking him skyward. Colonel rounded himself in mid air and kicked at Zero, but Zero changed directions and flew around him in a wide angle. Colonel pursued Zero, but met nothing when he caught up. Zero appeared beside Colonel and full out launched a kick into Colonel's chest sending him flying to the ground and through the base.

"GRAAAAAHHHH!!" Colonel burst out of the debris as Zero touched down and dashed toward him. Colonel punched forward, but Zero kicked flipped off the ground, flew over him, kicked the ground again upon landing and stuck his knee into the back of Colonel's head. Colonel flew forward again, but with a quick handspring, was back on his feet. He charged at Zero and threw another punch, but Zero sidestepped it and was now face to face with him. Zero unleashed a fury of punches. Colonel was helpless in the face of this assault. The punches were so fast that not even Colonel could counter or even block. Zero finished with a mighty blow to Colonel's stomach, and let him fall to the ground. Colonel was incredibly damaged. Armor punctures, slash marks, and dents covered his body. Oil and other fluids were seeping from the ruptures. Colonel's eyes slowly faded back to normal and he regained his conscious.

"cough argh…. Impossible… I had Iris… with me… have I truly failed…?" Zero approached Colonels tattered body. "Looks like I lose Zero… now send me to my sister…"

Zero stood over Colonel and raised a fist into the air for the final blow.

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But he stopped.

"Whats… urgh… wrong Zero? Finish me… i… have failed… to avenge… Iris… a reploid… that fails its purpose… is… a reploid not worth… anything…"

Zero remained stationary and silent, but lowered his fist and looked at it with the unconscious eyes still set in. His fist was covered in Colonel's oil and fluids.

"Kill me… Zero!! Allow me… to join my sister!! DO IT!!"

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"No."

Zero's eyes returned to normal and he let his fist drop to his side.

"I'm not going to kill you."

"ZERO!! DON'T… COUGH DO THIS… TO ME!!"

"I'm not going to kill you Colonel."

"AAARRGGHHH!! COUGH WHY?! Wh… Why… Zero!? Don't deny me my sister……"

"Colonel… do you want to know why I won't kill you?" Colonel didn't answer. The disheveled warrior just lay still. "Because a promise was made." Colonel faced straight up.

"A… A promise…?"

"Yes… Long ago I promised Iris that I would bring you back alive." Colonel's eyes grew, but he remained silent. "And that is a promise I intend to keep. Iris would be pretty mad if anything were to happen to you, don't you think?" Colonel lay still. And eventually a tear came to the soldier's eye.

"But… you killed…… why would you…"

"Why would I have the honor to fulfill a promise yet still kill in cold blood? I know that's what you think Colonel, but… I loved Iris, and she loved me… her death may have been by my hands, but if you want to blame anyone for her death, blame sigma for forcing her to fight me." Colonel continued to lay still.

"You speak as if I've had a blind purpose…"

"No." Colonel was surprised. "I killed your sister, whether or not sigma had a hand in the circumstances… I was the cause. Your revenge was justified, but dragging my friends into the mix was a bad idea. I would have gladly taken you on privately, but you made a few wrong turns and almost became a murderer." Colonel closed his eyes. "Search yourself Colonel… Iris is with you, let her show you the way."

"I…" He paused. "Oh Iris… how could your own brother be so barbaric?" His eyes opened and he turned his head to Zero. "Zero… forgive me… for involving others… and I apologize for all the trouble…"

"You have no idea how much I've wanted to hear that."

"And thank you… for helping me see the true colors of my deeds…" a small panel flipped up from Colonel's left arm and he began pressing buttons. "Again I thank you… but I think it would be best if I disappeared for a while…"

"Wait!" Ciel ran up. "Do you want us to give you medical attention?"

"Ah, even after all I've done you are willing to help me… you truly are a pure soul Ms. Ciel… but there is no need, I believe these wounds and scares will serve as a reminder…" he paused briefly and exhaled. "You probably won't see me again… I need to be alone, to think things over…" Zero hobbled back a few steps as a bright light surrounded Colonel. "Zero… perhaps someday… we can have a friendly duel… just like old times…"

"Perhaps we could… someday…" Colonel smiled in return and disappeared in a beam of light.

Zero and Ciel stood silent for a moment. Now was it over? Now could they settle down? Zero sighed heavily and turned to Ciel, but after one step he lost balance and collapsed in a heap on the ground. Ciel gasped and crouched down next to him.

"Ugh…… that was a tough battle…" Using his right arm to support himself, Zero removed his helmet with his left hand. His hair poured out from underneath the helmet and he rolled over to be on his back. "Phew! That thing was starting to get uncomfortable!" Ciel smiled and moved closer to him.

"Come here, I bet the dirt isn't very comfortable either." She gently lifted his head and placed it on her lap. "Better?"

"Yes…" Zero shut his eyes and let out a yawn. "Wow… that fight REALLY took a lot out of me…"

"Well it serves you right… you never take it easy on yourself, even when I beg you to."

"Heh… if I took it easy I wouldn't be able to protect the ones I care about… I guess it's my way of showing how much I care…"

"You must really care then, because you usually pop up to the base half dead."

"Hey one time I was able to get to Cerveau myself!"

"One time being the key phrase…"

"Grr you…" Ciel laughed.

"Alright enough… just rest for a bit until we figure out what to do next."

"Okay…"

The two fell silent. As seconds became minutes the silence spread itself butter side up and down, leaving Ciel time to think.

_Come to think of it this is the perfect time to tell him how I feel about him… but then why… what's holding me back?_ She looked to the sky.

_Mother… what would you do? I've followed your guidance through all of my life, but here I just… don't know where to go. _

_--In times of pain, suffering, and disaster, people need something to believe in… something to look up to and help them feel safe even though the world weighs catastrophe upon them. We can give the people their ray of hope…-- _

…… _Mother… we gave the people a ray of hope when we defeated sigma… but what about my ray of hope?_ She closed her eyes, feeling the breeze against her face. _Maybe… our own ray of hope… needs to come from our heart…_ She clenched her fist and took a deep breath. "Zero… I…" _Say it! _"Zero I love you!"

She felt so proud of herself for letting it out, but then she looked at Zero… and he was asleep. _DAMMIT! _She mentally yelled at herself. _So much for that…_Suddenly a heavy gust rushed past them and Ciel put her hand up to keep her hair out of her face.

"Zero! Ciel!" Ciel looked into the sky and spotted a large silhouette in the light of the sun. As it drew near she made it out to be a resistance transport. She smiled and waved up to it. In no time, Harpuia and Leviathan landed beside them. Ciel gently put Zero's head on the ground and stood up to great them, but was almost tackled by Leviathan.

"Oh you guys are alive!!"

"I knew it…" Harpuia said to himself as he took one knee next to Zero. "You just never die." The transport landed and a team brought out a stretcher to carry Zero in. As they worked Alouette sprinted out to Ciel. Ciel knelt down and hugged her tightly as she cried into Ciel's arms. Cerveau directed the team into the transport and they lifted off, leaving behind the scene of a great battle that will never be in history and never be told in tales of epic duels, but will always remain in the memory of but three individuals.

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Two days later Cerveau finally finished the repairs on Zero and everyone was looking forward to giving him a true welcome once he was done resting. The day past slowly as Ciel recounted the events of the battle for Harpuia and Leviathan.

"So by believing in his bonds with you and Iris Zero was able to overcome another challenge…" Harpuia pondered out loud. "Is there nothing he can't do?"

"I don't know, but he pulled through again just like always… hopefully the peace won't be disturbed anymore." Leviathan looked at Ciel. "So how are things going with you two?" Ciel blushed. "Oh! Harpuia sorry, but could we talk alone?"

"Hm? Am I being kicked out?"

"Yes, girl talk, now shoo." Levithan brought up her hand giving the shooing motion. Harpuia sighed.

"Very well." He scooted his seat back and rose from his chair, leaving the two behind.

"Sorry I forgot Sage was there… now where was I? Oh yes… please tell me…" Ciel hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell Leviathan about **everything **that happened while they were in the base.

"Well…"

"Hey everyone!" Cerveau's voice cut her off. "Zero's awake, let's all greet him!" Ciel almost sighed in relief. The two of them rose without a word and moved to Cerveau's medical center along with the rest of the resistance. They all gathered in front of the door and Cerveau stepped in front. "Ok lets all welcome back Zero!" The door slid open… but the room was empty. Only Zero's helmet lay on the table. "What!? Where? Cerveau looked all around the room but Zero was nowhere to be found. Everyone was bewildered…… except for Ceil. She smiled and giggled to herself before turning from the confused crowd and heading to the stairs…

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On the roof…

"I knew I would find you here…" Zero opened his eyes slowly to see Ciel leaning over him.

"Am I that predictable?" he smiled.

"Only to me." She smiled back at him. Zero lifted his head and hands off the floor and sat up against the AC unit, brushing his hair out of his face. Ciel took a place on his right. The two sat silent for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company. They gazed out at the sunset as the sky turned deep reddish orange.

"What a beautiful sunset…" Ciel spoke up.

"I find it much nicer when I have no worries around the corner…" Zero added.

"Heh… true…" Ciel turned her head to him. "Zero… this may be a tough question… but what do you intend to do now?" Her main worry was that he would disappear into the city again like he had after the battle with Sigma. Zero thought for a moment.

"Well… to be honest I really don't know…" Ciel was surprised. Zero was never one to not have a plan. "I think… I'll just stay with you." Ciel slightly blushed.

"With… me?"

"Yes…… remember what I told you? About how time flows downstream and change is inevitable? Well as I do recall you denied me saying you wished that we would never be away from each other no matter what changes may occur." Then Ciel remembered. She did recall saying that, but she was thrilled that he remembered. Zero stood up and took a step towards the sunset. After a moment he turned and offered a hand to Ciel, "And you know what? …" She took his hand and he pulled her up gently. "I also hope that never changes…" Ciel's blush turned bright as she looked right into his eyes. She wasn't sure what was going on or what he planned to do, but something told her to go along with it, as if something was guiding her. They began to move closer to each other. "Oh and by the way…" They were now inches apart. Zero reached up and slowly removed Ciel's headpiece, letting her hair down fully for the small gusts to dance with. "After the battle…" He slowly slid his arms around her waist.

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"I wasn't asleep…" He drew her in and kissed her. She did not hesitate or take any moment to think. She closed her eyes and threw her arms up around his shoulders and put all her feelings into returning the affection. She was finally in the position she had wanted to be in for so long. Zero felt her return favor and intensified the connection. They were both lost in a world of their own with nothing else around to bother them or tell the otherwise. It was true paradise.

After becoming familiar with each other in a whole different aspect, the two of them broke away in silence. Zero opened his eyes, to see Ciel with her eyes still shut.

"Wow…"

"Did I surprise you?" She slowly opened her eyes.

"No… I just wasn't expecting how it would feel…" She paused for a moment and sighed. "For a reploid… I wasn't expecting you to feel so… human…" They smiled at each other briefly. "So you heard me say it then…"

"Yes I did…"

"And I think I know the answer…"

"But there's more to it."

"More?"

"Yes… Ciel… after Iris' death I locked myself away… buried my feelings and emotions believing they would only bring me pain… I was a chest without a key, a room with no doors… I was locked up with no ray of light showing through. But then you came along. You molded the key to the chest… you found the concealed door to the room… you found the ray of light hidden deep within my soul and touched it… It was unbelievable. I couldn't comprehend it. It's as if my feelings were waiting patiently for a messiah to come and set them free…" He paused and raised his eyes to the sky letting the breeze catch his golden hair. "So Ciel… Let me say the words that you've unchained from the deepest dungeon of my sorrow…" He leaned in close to her ear and whispered softly,

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"I love you…"

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Ciel nearly lost all strength in her body. There was no better way he could have worded it and no better way he could have built up to it. She was sold… completely. Small tears formed in her eyes as she leaned in again. The two met again to connect themselves further, this time a little longer than the first, but just as fervidly and affectionately. After a while they reluctantly parted and gazed at each other once more.

"You are incredible Zero… almost too perfect… I can't believe I'm here… like this… with you…"

"Shall we then?"

"Shall we what?"

"Put our newfound bond to good use and protect this new era together?"

"I don't think we'll have to worry much…"

"Why is that?" Ciel leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Because… your efforts have given the people the courage to live… And just as I always have… They believe in you." Zero smiled as he locked a hand with hers and the two left the roof, just as the last glimpse of sun set behind the night horizon.

Emotional Vengence

THE END

Believe in Me

To be continued…

* * *

awww didn't that turn out well? i was very please by my final product for the scene i've been building up for such a long time... i hope you all liked it too! BUT THIS IS NOT THE END! i still have 2 or 3 induvidual chapters im planning on sticking into the story to lead up to the Epilouge... so don't count me out just yet!

Once again i would like to thank everyone who has supported me through this deeply... you guys have been great and i hope you continue to read up to the final conclusion.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	39. EX1: Ancient Warriors

Whew... all this college work is getting into my writing time... but here is the first of 3 or four extrachapters that take place before the epilogue. I dont intend these to be as long a the norma chapters, but who knows, i might go crazy at some points and lose track of pages.

Here is the thirty ninth installment of Believe in me.

story

_thinking_

"talking"

**Emphasis**

(me)

Enjoy!

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 39: Ancient Warriors

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. Every story's ending sparks another's start. But some stories seem to last forever, no matter the odds of survival, no matter how many of their pages torn, and no matter age of their text. They strive above the stories put down on the table, and even further above those chronicled and organized on the top shelf of history's library. They oppose the limits, break the boundaries, and stall the reaper, for they stare in the face of death day in and day out… and chuckle.

In these long centuries of battles, wars, and disasters only two have survived the test of longevity to live in the new era. Their names? Forte, the resurrected berserker and older brother of the legendary hero Zero, and Blues, the mysterious figure in the shadows and the single ancestor of every known human like machine. How will their stories end? You'd have to ask them, but they would both tell you the same thing…… "Death is something accepted… and I plan to deny it."

Believe in me.

Extra chapter #1

The sun shone bright over the rocky mountain ranges two hundred miles due north of New Hope. The wind was chilled at the high altitude and no living creatures dared to set up life on the steep icy slopes. But a figure stood atop a small peak, it was a tall black figure with two wings on his head wearing a long brown cloak.

Forte sighed into the icy air forming a small cloud of mist in front of his face. He stared into the distance at nothing as if waiting for something.

"You're late." He said to what seemed to be nobody.

"Sorry… I was admiring the view a bit as I ascended." A figure landed lightly on a peak a few meters away. This was another old robot, grey and red with a visor and a yellow scarf, he too wore a long brown cloak.

"Feh… you've always been a strange one Blues…"

"It's kept me alive this long hasn't it?"

"I don't really care either way… I just want to get down to it."

"Always right to the fighting? You haven't changed one bit." Blues pushed his cloak aside and unlatched his shield from his back with his left hand, his right hand morphing into a buster.

"You just want to stall for time…" Forte removed his arms from his cloak and pounded his fist into his other hand. "Before I beat the stuffing out of you."

"You know you can't beat me."

"We'll see about that!"

Forte rocketed from his perch, shattering the peak's tip with the sudden acceleration. He closed the distance in an instant, but when he was finally upon his target, Blues disappeared. Forte shifted his vision to the left and took off again.

"I can see you!" He yelled as Blues appeared not too far off. He punched at his opponent, but his hand passed right through Blues, whose image slowly faded. "What?" He looked back and forth, scanning for some trace of movement. "Quit running… I hate it when you do this." Suddenly a large rock came flying up from behind and smashed into the back of Forte's head, shattering the rock on impact. "OW!!" He turned around and saw blues. "That was a cheap shot asshole…"

"I always like to start with a little ice **breaker** don't you think."

"You're **not **funny."

"Oh well, let's do this for real now…"

"Good."

They stared each other down, but not for long, they didn't even need anything to break the stare, instinct told the two of them to engage the other. Blues began with a powerful plasma blast from his buster, which Forte deflected with a swipe of his hand. The blast exploded off in the distance. Blues fired off three more towards forte as he began closing in once more. He gracefully dodged the plasma fire and reared back his fist to attack. Blues tapped his left foot off the rock, then began pushing his right foot down with great force. Forte thrusted his fist forward, but Blues sped off again, invisible to the naked eye, or so he thought. Mid-dash, Blues felt heavier. He looked back and noticed Forte was hanging onto his shoulder. He had not punched at him, he was reaching out to grasp hold of him.

"I told you to stop running!" He pulled back his fist and punched at Blues. Blues brought up his shield at the last moment to block the attack, but the two went careening uncontrollably into the dense mountain side. The sudden collision caused them to come to a halt a few feet into the mountain. Forte's fist was still pressed against the shield. "I've figured out your little trick… You take a small hop, tapping your left foot on the ground, followed by a hard push by slamming your right foot down. After doing so you reach an incredible velocity." Blues peaked through the small eye space on his shield.

"So you finally figured it out… but it means nothing if you cannot defeat it!" Blues snuck his buster to the side of his shield and pumped a blast right into Forte's chest, sending the surprised berserker out of the mountain side. He rounded himself to find Blues already right above him. Without time to think, Blues upside-down bicycle kicked Forte, sending him spiraling downward. He collided with a mountain side and began skidding down the steep slope. Rearing himself mid-fall, he got to his feet and let the friction absorbers on his feet allow him to skim down the rocky decline. He turned around and spotted blues chasing him down the mountain. Devising a plan instantly, Forte braced himself and deactivated the friction absorbers. Forte's sudden deceleration caught Blues completely by surprise, and while attempting to slow down, his neck ran smack into Forte's forearm, clothes lining him. Forte smirked at his successful attack and turned to face Blues, but was shocked by what he witnessed. As he fell, Blues quickly racked his shield on his back to free up his hands as well as recall his buster. He tapped the ground first with his left hand, then quickly twisted and punched the ground with his right. Blues disappeared from Forte's vision briefly, he spotted Blues on a nearby ledge, and then suddenly Blues' fist was in his face. Forte grunted and did a backward handspring up the mountainside. Blues had already begun the process for his super speed once more, but now it was his turn to be shocked. Forte copied his actions effortlessly tapping the left foot followed by the right. Blues and Forte were now face to face moving at lightning quick speed. Their duel had become a fistfight invisible to the naked eye. The mountainous environment was the perfect stage for the aged warriors to do battle as their steps tapped, ricocheted, and pressed of the ledges and ridges. Eventually on one of their accelerations, Forte noticed that Blues didn't kick once, but **twice** with his right leg in rapid succession. Within the realm of their super fast movements, Blues disappeared from sight. Forte immediately ceased movement and glanced all around him.

"What in the blazes?" Forte continued to turn his head in every possible direction. Suddenly another large rock came flying up from behind him and smashed into the back of his head… again. "ARGH! DAMMIT BLUES!" Blues appeared behind him, laughing. "You are such a bastard…" Forte cursed while rubbing the back of his head.

"Alright, that's enough…"

"Feh… already? I was just getting started!"

"I've had my fun, and its good that we do this every once and a while to keep our senses sharp, but I must return to my daily routine…"

"Fine… go continue being a mysterious stalker…"

"I really wish you wouldn't refer to it like that." Blues retorted with a hint of annoyance in what was visible of his face.

"I just like it cause it works you up… anyway I guess I'll just keep wandering, maybe I'll try chasing that energy signature that we never catch."

"Oh yes we shou…" Blues ceased and they both snapped their eyes towards the south east. "It's moving again…"

"Strange… it used to only move when we drew near it…" Forte pondered. Blues was quick to act.

"If we follow it maybe we can finally catch it when it stops! Let's go!" The two quickly blasted off into the distance in pursuit of the strange reading. As they flew the reading suddenly stopped. "It stopped moving! Now's our chance!" They rapidly closed in on the location and landed abruptly on a grassy plain. They spotted a figure under a lone tree, staring at a stone that seemed to be placed there with purple iris flowers all around. Forte and Blues, upon closing in, recognized the person.

"Colonel?" Forte called. Indeed it was Colonel, but not as Forte remembered him. Colonel had not sought repair after his fierce battle with Zero.

"Ah… so you are the ones who have been pursuing me…" He spoke to them in a quiet stoic voice, but did not shift his gaze from the stone.

"So Zero spared you after all… that coward…" Forte scoffed. Blues remained silent.

"No… Zero did not spare me… he saved me… he opened my eyes to the murderous intent of my actions… he… he gave me another chance…"

"Then what will you do with yourself?" Blues spoke up as he stepped past Forte.

"I do not know… I feel as if I have no place in the future…"

"Then we share a common characteristic." Colonel finally removed his eyes from the stone.

"I do recall your words when I witnessed you fight… you bring it upon yourself to keep the time period stable, ridding it of those who do not belong…"

"But you do belong. For one… you never died, and if you did it would have been an accident. I only erase those who live even though they died for their evil deeds…"

"So you know of the battles between Zero and I…"

"Of course. I've been watching the world for a millennium… but as you say, you lack a purpose… so how about this…"

"Oh don't tell me you're going to…" Forte began but cut himself off and shook his head.

"Come with me Colonel, when my generation slipped from my grasp, I too felt as though I had lost a purpose, but at the same time I found another… Now I watch the world. I've watched it develop, prosper, destroy itself, and repeat over and over, stepping in from time to time to keep certain issues from disrupting the balance of the ages. If you feel there is nothing else for you to do in this age, then join me in watching over our world…" Colonel did not answer at first, but he slowly turned to Blues.

"Your offer is welcoming…" a small smile formed on the desolated soldier's visage. "I accept… I've nothing more to accomplish, so I will join you as an overseer…" Blues reached out a hand. Colonel took it in a firm hand shake.

And so Colonel's story has been withdrawn from the shelves of history, to continue on with the great stories that never die, fade, or falter. His story has been a long one, one of friendship, rivalry, emotion, despair, and enlightenment, yet it will now strive on next to the great chronicles of Blues and Forte.

Extra Chapter #1

The End.

Believe in Me

To be continued.

* * *

And that should tie up any loose ends for Colonel. I have 2 more big ideas i've been thinking of that i want to get down on paper, then it will all come to an end. (sadly.)

But as things go along, im proud that it is almost complete, i've been at this for 3 years now i can hardly believe it.

After this i plan to write a fire emblem story, for those of you who are fan's i look foreward for writing for you.

And also, if any readers of this story happen to go to Dension university in Granville Ohio, i'm here on your campus going to school here, so let me know if you are.

THANK YOU ALL soooooo much for reading. This goes out to all those whom have either read or reviewed. You guys are the greatest.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	40. EX2: The Unknown Soldier

Heeeey Hoooo everybody! it's beena little longer than i would have liked, but i finally had enough time between work and football here at college to finish the second of my three extra chapters. Sigh... its all winding down... only two left to write...

Anywho... here is the fortieth (WOW) yes the fortieth installment installment of Believe in me.

story

"talking"

_thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 40: The Unknown Soldier

Five APCs sped quickly across the newly constructed roads built upon the plains. Their destination? None of the resistance soldier's knew. The group had been ordered to gear up and pack into the vehicles with promise of a briefing upon arrival. Within the truck third from the lead sat a new recruit among the rest. He had recently joined under the assumption of that a life of duty would be an interesting one. He had been disappointed however, mainly due to the constant drills and practice that lead to no action, mostly because times of peace called for little work as a soldier. He placed his rifle on the floor and stretched out his arms before placing both hands behind his head and letting out a sigh. _I bet this is just another stupid drill…_

Believe in Me

Extra Chapter #2

The squad commander of the third truck took notice of the recruit's lax attitude and furrowed his brow.

"We're not going on a picnic soldier! Focus attention!" The recruit was not in the mood to be yelled at so he snapped back.

"Well excuse me for being SOOO excited about another drill…" This drew the attention of the rest of the squad as well as infuriated the commander.

"If you have a problem with your orders we can take it up with commander Harpuia when we arrive!" The mention of Harpuia not only perked up the rest of the squad, but made the recruit twitch. "So get your sorry ass in gear and focus attention!"

"Y-yes sir…" The recruit replied hesitantly as he retrieved his weapon from the floor and assumed the position of the rest of the soldiers. _Commander Harpuia?! Maybe this is finally a real mission after all…_

…

…

…

The APCs came to a halt and the doors swung open. First there came a rush of freezing air followed by the order to disembark. The soldiers filed out of the vehicles onto the snow covered ground and lined up for their briefing. They all waited anxiously as Harpuia suddenly landed in front of them. Most of them were awe struck by the sight of the mighty warrior right before their eyes. Others were too nervous to think, merely because if Harpuia was here, than it meant a serious mission. Harpuia scanned the ranks back and forth.

"Forty… yes, that should be enough."

The recruit gulped and realized that this was for real.

"Listen up gentlemen… back at the resistance head quarters we recently picked up an old energy signal that seems to be radiating a large amount of power recently. It only appeared to us a week ago, but we decided it would be best not to let it go unchecked. The northern snowy hill region is the general location of the signal, but we have no exact point… therefore, you are to split up into teams of four and search the environment. When or if you find source of the reading, relay a message to me on frequency 6.19.89 and I'll give the order to close in on the spot. Success of this mission is critical! Treat it with utmost importance. This is crisis priority!" The soldiers were surprised by the last statement.

_Crisis priority?! There hasn't been a crisis since five years ago when those reploids attacked the resistance base… the revenge incident… _The recruit gripped his rifle and followed the three other soldiers of his group after their dismissal.

The day dragged on. They had found nothing. The soldiers pressed on through the icy winds and dancing snow, but the recruit grew tiresome. "Jeez… there's nothing out here! We're just wasting our time and freezing our asses off…"

"Our orders are to search the hills… and that's what we're doing until told otherwise…" one soldier replied.

"We've been looking for the past four hours and absolutely nothing has turned up! We don't even know what the hell we're trying to find!"

"If you really don't like it…" another soldiers began, "You can take it up with commander Harpuia." Almost completely reiterating what the recruit had heard before.

"Argh…" The recruit groaned as he continued working. They toiled on as the frosty wind blew over the hilltops. Eventually they reached the end of their search zone.

"Alright, this is the end of our zone." The third soldier stated. "Let's head back."

"Finally…" Complained the recruit, but just he stepped back to turn around, something gave way beneath his feet. "Wah!!" Not only under him, but under the other soldiers as well. All four landed with a thud about eight feet below where they began. The snow had caved in underneath them, but it had revealed a cave.

"Ah ha! We might have found something!" One of the soldiers remarked excitingly.

"So now what?"

"We have someone check it out, recruit… and as that person scouts the inside, the others stand guard. If he finds the objective, we relay the message to the commander."

"Then I'll go! I've been bored this whole time, let me do something interesting!"

"Whoa whoa okay there! You can go ahead and check out the inside… we'll stand guard."

"Yes! Finally something new!" The recruit flipped on his visor lights and trotted into the cave while the others stood watch.

…

…

…

_Yikes… how deep does this cave go? _The recruit tread deeper and deeper into the dusk cavern in hopes of uncovering something. _Maybe if I help this mission to be successful… I'll be promoted! Maybe they'll congratulate me publicly for bravery! _While dreams of farfetched glory flew through his head, he didn't realize there was a solid object in front of him and ran smack into it. "AH! What the hell!?" But then he realized that the impact made a metallic sound. He didn't just walk into a rock wall, what he ran into was definitely not naturally there. He backed up slowly and shined his lights on the object. He eventually made it out to be a large titanium door.

"Huh? Wha… what is this?" In his astonishment he completely forgot to radio out to his team and instead decided to investigate on his own. Using his reploid-given strength, he pushed the large metal door open and looked around the inside. There was a small control panel on the wall. One button said, "lights". He quickly pressed the button and turned off his visor lights as fixture on the ceiling came to life, completely illuminating the room. He was no longer in a cave; he stood in a small room with grey concrete walls that had nothing on them besides the control panel on one side. In front of him was another large door. This one was white. But it's most distinguishing feature was a big blue C with a red star behind it fixated in the center of the door.

_C?_ He thought to himself. His eyes moved back to the panel and there was another button that said "entrance". His raging curiosity driving him, his finger flew to the button and pressed it. The door behind him suddenly closed tight and the white door began to slowly open. When it came to a halt the recruit anxiously stepped inside, surprised by what he found as the lights flickered on. _Is this… some sort of laboratory? _It definitely had the look. Large white walls in an octagon formation, each wall with a large machine, workbench, or desk. In the center of the room surrounded by machinery and tools was a large contraption that stood about six feet in the air. The machine consisted of four silver cubes stacked on one another, each one getting smaller as it rose into the air. Long fluorescent lights ran up all four edges to the top where a small, gleaming crimson crystal was fixated slightly above the final cube by small wires. The recruit hadn't the foggiest about anything he was seeing, but he walked around the room nonetheless.

_Hm? _He came to a stop in front of one of the wall mounted machines and noticed a flashing green button on it. It said "play" on it. Once again driven by adventurous feelings, he pressed the button. The lights suddenly dimmed and a large screen descended from the ceiling. The recruit watched in awe, wondering just what he had uncovered. The screen was blank for a moment, but suddenly an image appeared. It was an image of the very laboratory he stood in, only it looked a bit less disheveled. Then a man walked out from off screen and faced foreword. It was a tall, aged man dressed in a long white lab coat. He had spiky red hair and a long red beard and wore a pair of semi-circular glasses slightly down on his nose just enough to see his eyes.

"If you are reading this message…" Began the audio in an odd accent the recruit had never heard, "Then I hope you chose the right path with the information I'm about to disclose to you…"

The recruit gulped and leaned closer to the screen.

"In my life I have created many powerful machines. So for the good of man and some for the worse… but never before in my life have I believed that even I myself may have stepped too far over the line. There came a time when I believed that a safety precaution was necessary to the dangers that human-based machinery posed. Human-machinery, as extraordinary and enlightening as it may be, holds the keys to a possible cataclysm. I took this fact into account, and in turn created what I now realize may be a larger threat than any existing machine in the world as we know it. The very machine before you… the 'Eradicator' as I call it. It was built with the intent of being a safety buffer against a possible human-machine uprising. It uses powerful mirrors and vibration cells to focus reflected light through the rare red crystal mounted on top. The crystal is known as Drytonium. When light is intensified upon this rock, its rays can drain the power of any machine around it. Unfortunately, I gave it too much power. With the mirrors and vibration cells, the crystal can emit a powerful wave of energy wide enough to cover the globe…"

The recruit slowly looked at the machine and took one quivering step away from it.

"When I realized how much humans would rely on all types of machinery in the future, I began to look upon the Eradicator as a possible doomsday device. So I sealed it up in this hidden laboratory of mine and recorded this message so that whoever may find it will know of its dangers…" There was a long pause. The man pushed his glasses up to fully cover his eyes and stuffed his hands into his lab coat pockets. "My name is Dr. Cossack… and I pray this information has not fallen into the wrong hands…" With that the screen blipped out and withdrew back to the ceiling. As the lights came on, the recruit stepped back a few paces, shuddering. His eyes were fixated on the device that lay in the middle of the room.

Was this real, was the message true? If so, something that could destroy the entire world lay right in front of him. The feeling was overwhelming. He found his limbs felt heavy and that he was short on breath. He slowly circled around the device with his back pressed to the wall and eventually darted out the door when he was close enough to do so.

Back in the "air-lock" room his hands fell upon his knees as he leaned over, gasping.

"I've got to warn the others…… this is serious business!" Because he had no signal from his wrist communicator in the cave, he figured he would have to backtrack to the entrance and tell the other soldiers, who in turn would use their main radio to call Harpuia. He was about halfway out of the cave when he suddenly heard an explosion. Advancing towards him were his comrades, running and shooting at something he could not see. One of the soldier's took cover behind a rock as plasma fire whisked by. He returned fire, but was unaware of a blue sphere that was rolled behind his position. The ball erupted in an electrical blast right beside him, completely shorting out the soldier's systems, leaving a limp husk on the ground.

"Shit! They have EMP devices!!" One of the soldier's yelled as the two of them took off towards the recruit. "Soldier! Retreat further into the cave!" The recruit ran with them, but was puzzled.

"Why haven't you contacted Harpuia!?"

"The signal needs one interrupted minute to transfer over long distance! These humans took us by surprise! We weren't able to send an S.O.S.!"

"Wait a minute… humans?! We're being attacked by humans?!"

"We're just as confused as you are! But there is no time to think it over! Let's move!" Right as they turned to run a plasma bolt struck one of the soldiers in the back of the neck, knocking him to the ground face first. The other soldier stopped to help him up, but the recruit kept running. Three blue spheres fell around the two soldiers. They erupted in an electrical storm around them. They screamed in pain as the energy disrupted their functions and collapsed in a heap on the cave floor. One of the soldiers had survived due to his comrade shielding part of the blast and was trying to get to his feet. The Recruit had stopped and watched the whole scene in horror. As quickly as his diffused arm could do so, the soldier ripped the large radio system off his belt and tossed it to the recruit.

"It's… up to… you… now…" He dropped to the ground… gone. In fear the recruit ran back to Dr. Cossack's lab and shut the door behind him. He immediately pressed the "signal connect" button on the radio, and began to wait for a minute that dragged on for what seemed years. His biggest fear was that the group of humans, whoever they were and whatever they wanted, had not been following him. He clutched the radio tightly hoping that it would chime in soon.

bing!

The recruit frantically typed in the numbers 6.19.89. The call was received and Harpuia had picked up the line. "Commander Harpuia here…" the recruit cut him off instantly.

"This is team six! Repeat team six! We've found the source of the energy, but we've run into an unknown mercenary force! I am the only one left! Requesting help immediately! Trace this sig…… before he could finish the door behind him was suddenly blasted open by powerful explosives. The recruit was thrown forward to the floor, and before he knew it, two blue spheres rolled up right next to him. Fearing their effects, he scrambled to his feet and tried to create distance between him and the pulse, but it wasn't enough. The electricity connected with his legs, sending pain all through his body. If that wasn't already enough, the shockwave pushed him into the lab, past the "Eradicator", and into the back wall. His legs were paralyzed, he could only slightly move his upper body, his vision was blurry, but his sound receptors were untouched. He heard laughing, as static images of the humans entered the lab. They mostly wore body armor without undershirts with red bandanas tied to their heads and plasma rifles at their sides.

"Those fools… they try so hard to catch us and in the end they lead us to exactly what we've always wanted!"

"With this there's no way they stand a chance."

"Don't be so hasty." They all turned to one human who wore a red vest with body armor and a white bandana. "Let's check to make sure this is it."

"Yes boss." One of them pulled out a few holograms the white bandana examined it.

"Heh heh heh… this is it boys! We've done it!" The leader, as the recruit deduced, strode up to the machine, examining it thoroughly. His hand began to linger over the control panel.

The recruit felt powerless. Was he the only one that knew what the activation of this machine would cause? He had to stop them… he just didn't know how. He prepared himself for the worst, but instead there was a magenta and green flash of light. All the humans fixed their attention on the newcomer to the gathering…… Harpuia had entered the scene. As made apparent by their frozen figures, the humans had no intention of facing an opponent as powerful as Harpuia.

"R.E.F. … I should have known… you scumbags have really been a thorn in our side…" The boss chuckled.

"Please… the whole name slides off the tongue much better… 'The Reploid Extermination Force…'"

"I don't understand you people… is it that hard to live with reploids? We're created to be no different from humans! Hunting them down seems like an awful extreme way to voice your opinion…"

"You speak wise words as you've always Harpuia, it doesn't matter. In a few moments nothing is going to matter! This great machine is capable of knocking out every kind of machinery in the world in one mighty blow!"

"What!?"

"It's true you sorry excuse for a hero… with a flip of this switch I will destroy everything that has a hold on mankind. But best of all we'll be rid of all of you!"

Harpuia didn't have time to think it over; the threat had too much back bone behind it to be a bluff. He sprang forward quickly, aiming to disable the leader, but in the same instant, the leader tossed a blue sphere at him. Not knowing or realizing it was, Harpuia slashed at it to either deflect or destroy it, but the impact caused EMP electricity to encircle his body. He cried out in pain and fell to his hands and knees.

"You see Harpuia? You cannot stop us… it is time all you reploid's were put in your rightful place… the scrap pile!" Harpuia could only watch in horror as the leader's hand moved closer and closer to the control panel. The recruit sat and watched as well, but his hope was rekindled when he saw his blaster pistol lying on the ground beside him. The little trinket he had never used due to its role as an emergency backup was finally going to make a name for itself… if he could just lift it. The recruit strained himself as he pushed every ounce of energy he had left into curling his fingers around the grip of the firearm. He took a deep breath and began hoisting the pistol off the ground slowly. The leader had pressed the activation code for the Eradicator and the red crystal began to glow, first a little bit, then more and more, until the bright red light filled the entire room. Small columns of light began travelling up the fluorescent lights to indicate it was charging. The recruit willed himself to lift the sidearm faster and eventually held it out in front of him. His vision was blurry, and all he could hear was the hum of the machine mixed with the maniacal laughter of the extremist leader. But one thing was clear, there was a bight glow, and that was the only thing he could fix his concentration on. He pulled the trigger and immediately dropped the weapon and let his arm fall limp. The leader was unaware, but Harpuia's eyes followed the sudden energy bolt and watched it pierce right through the crystal. There was a loud noise that resembled a window being shattered and the machine began to make a different, uglier sounding noise. The leader turned around and noticed what had happened, and as he began to curse his luck, the machine's energy backfired and caused it to explode. The entire room was engulfed by the explosion and Harpuia was thrown out the entrance into a group of fifteen advancing resistance soldiers, who all toppled over with him. When the explosion subsided, Harpuia picked himself up off the ground and extended a hand to the soldier he had landed on. Once they were all on their feet Harpuia gave the order to advance and they charged back into the lab.

"Search this area, anything you find report to me." Harpuia ordered as they all split up around the newly disheveled lab. Broken machinery and debris lay everywhere with singed papers still flopping to the ground. _So none of the humans survived the explosion… _Harpuia thought to himself as he came across a relatively undamaged machine. _Hm? What's this? A recording? _Harpuia pressed the flashing button on the machine, but nothing happened. He realized the screen on which this message was played was probably lost to the explosion, so wirelessly uplinked to the machine and downloaded the audio into his playback system. The very same message the recruit had heard played through his recording system. As he listened his expression changed from one of analyzing intent to one of surprise. As soon as the recording seized Harpuia turned to his men. "Dig through the debris!! There should be a reploid in here! Find him!"

"Yes sir!" They all set to work immediately, digging through the piles of broken machinery and scrap until…

"Sir! We've found something!" Harpuia dashed towards the soldier and stared into the debris. There lay the top half of a resistance soldier. He was badly damaged beyond repair and mostly burnt from the explosion. Harpuia hoisted the torso out of the ground and laid it against the wall, the visor was completely cracked so he removed it and got a better look at him. He did not recognize the face so he began searching for a nameplate on his uniform. His eyes fixed on a small silver plate that read "Pvt. ……" The other half had been destroyed in the blast. Harpuia only sighed and stood up. "Sir…?" a soldier began, wondering what to do.

"Gentlemen you may not realize it, but this fallen reploid right here has just saved the world…" They all looked at him confused. "I will explain it in detail later… but I saw it myself… does anybody know the name of this reploid." They all separately took a look at him, but none of them recognized him.

"He must be a new recruit sir… none of us have seen him before…" Harpuia stared at what remained of the hero.

_So young, yet…… _"You two." He pointed to two of the soldiers. "Take him back to the APCs… we are going to bring him back along with the news of how a nameless soldier just averted a disaster that could have ended the world…" Without questioning the commander further, the soldiers packed up and brought the recruit's body back to the trucks.

…

…

…

…

Upon returning to the base, Harpuia called a meeting where he told Zero, Ciel, Leviathan, Cerveau, Croire, and the rest about the mission, what they uncovered, and the outcome all thanks to a reploid who made a great sacrifice. The news spread from there, to the city, and soon all knew of the soldier with no name who had saved to world at the expense of his life. Zero proposed that they bury him atop the lone hill on the grassy flatlands south of the city, a place where people may visit and honor his actions. Upon Zero's request, Guile organized the government to hold a large burial ceremony for the recruit, which everyone in the city attended.

…

…

…

Now the when one travels along the flat grasslands south of New Hope, they will come across a lonely hill. Atop this lonely hill sits a single grave under a willow tree. Upon the grave, the markings read: "Here lies the unknown soldier… he was but a common reploid… who saved the world… and saved us all…"

Extra chapter 2: The End

Believe in Me: To be continued.

* * *

Woo ok now, how was that? i thought it turned out ok. My main motivation behind this story was i wanted to stick Dr. Cossack in here SOMEWHERE haha. But after that motivation, i was able to turn it into a pretty organized side plot.

Ok as i mentioned before, i only have two more submissions left. Sad i know... but hey i can start on a new idea soon. What might those be? well i know in the last chapter i said fire emblem... but right now it's up in the air around three different choices. My next story is either going to be Fire emblem, Dragon Ball Z, or Team Fortress 2. Whatever may happen please look out for any of them once i finish this long commitment!

Once again, as always, i would like to extend my deepest thanks to all tose who read and all those who review my story, you guys have been awsome all the way through.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	41. EX3: It's Because He's Zero

phew! got it done sooner than i thought! Hows everyone doing now a days? Work has been rough for me but midterms of my first year in college turned out ok so i'm on a roll for now.

enough rambling. Here is the forty-first installment of Believe in Me!

There was inspiration for this chapter... i will reveal it at the end of the chapter, but some of you might be able to guess as you read.

Story

"talking"

_thinking_

**emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

* * *

Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

Ch. 41: It's Because He's Zero

What is a legend? How does one become a legend? How can that legend live up to its praise? Well… A true legend can answer all these questions, but they can do so without speaking a single word. A legend has greatness beyond words, a sort of greatness that is just present, a sort of greatness that cannot be mimicked or mimed. True greatness in a legend is shown through action, and pure existence of the greatness within these actions. The citizens of New Hope are truly blessed… for they have a legend… who lives up to this title…

Believe in Me

Extra Chapter #3

Let's fast forward ten years into the future. New hope has expanded for miles and new cities have been built all over. The world was slowly returning to its former glory, before the wars, before the struggle, before the cataclysm. Even Blues and Forte would say how nostalgic the new sights have been for them, but how are the rest doing?

"Sage! Over here!" A girl dressed in a white shirt, blue vest, and tight jeans, with long cerulean hair called out from across a lake. A green blur shot across the water and a man landed in front of her. He wore a white shirt with a green vest and baggy jeans with viridian spiky hair.

"Did you find it Fairy?"

"Yes here it is." She held up her hands and a small cyber elf floated over her palms.

"Yep that's definitely it! Let's head back." The two emitted their respective colors until their reploid forms appeared; the girl cupped her hands gently over the cyber elf and they took to the air.

Yes, these are the former guardians of Neo Arcadia, Sage Harpuia and Fairy Leviathan. A threat had not arisen for the past four years, so with their spare time Harpuia and Leviathan explored the earth and collected cyber elves to reunite them with the many elves about civilization. The two didn't hang around the resistance base as much as they used to. Rumor has it that the two of them built their own little place somewhere along the coast of the great oceans.

Now let's move on…

"So as you can see, in order for the coupling to work properly you must first make sure wire's A and B are connected to output zone C where they can produce enough energy to power the generator…" A man wearing a green lab coat and visor pointed to a diagram of a machine in front of a large body of students in a lecture hall. "If connected incorrectly, the energy equation will become unbalanced and it will cease to work…" This is Cerveau. He is now the head professor of mechanical sciences at the University of New Hope. It had always been his dream to pass on knowledge to new generations, and the university was the perfect tool to make that dream a reality. "If this malfunction should occur… What is the quickest solution shown through the equation?" Cerveau heard crickets as it was obvious that none of the students knew the answer. A lone hand rose from the mass of students. Cerveau sighed, "Anybody besides Alouette?" His question went unanswered so he gave up, "Go ahead Alouette."

A tall, beautiful blonde teenager stood from her seat to answer the question. Indeed Allouette had been recently remodeled by Ciel to resemble a seventeen-year-old girl. She looked the same, only older and donning an outfit similar to the one Ciel once wore. Ciel had really outdone herself, Alouette was widely known around the university for her smarts and her beauty. "All you need to do is reverse the energy output and reconnect the wires for the proper output." She smiled contently and sat down, many men in the room still staring at her.

"That is correct… again… now let's move on…" Cerveau continued.

Let's follow Cerveau's example and head to our next stop…

"Miss Ciel… Hapruia and Leviathan have just passed this elf onto me…" Croire, same as everyone remembers her, now helps out Ciel with her many topics of research and discovery. "They believe it is the one you've been searching for." Ciel ceased typing, propped her work visor onto her forehead and spun around in her chair to face the large elf. Ciel was now twenty-nine, but age couldn't stop her from being as naturally stunning as she had always been.

"Thank you Croire… please put it in the capsule." The elf did as she was told and inserted the small elf into the glass and headed for the labs exit. Ciel flipped her visor back down and began typing a new heading for research on the new elf. On the way out Croire bumped into someone wearing a black leather jacket over a red T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Croire was about to greet him, but he held a figure to his mouth with a small smile. Croire smiled in turn and nodded before moving past the man and leaving. The man brushed a few strands of blonde hair out of his face and whisked his head to the side to shift his long ponytail to his other shoulder as he advanced silently to the busy Ciel. Without warning he reached down and grabbed her around the waist, whisking her out of her chair with a surprised shriek and swinging her around in the air. She already knew who it was, and laughed as he brought her back down to the earth. "Zero! You almost gave me a heart attack there!" The legendary reploid smiled.

"Your research had you pinned down… I thought I'd be the knight in shining armor and save you from it." Ciel smirked at his sarcasm. "You have been cooped up in here a lot lately…"

"Well…" Ciel waved a hand toward the capsule containing the newly arrived cyber elf. "I've finally found it… well… Harpuia and Leviathan found it, but it's the elf I've been looking for… the only other elf in the world that has given off a reading as strong as Croire or the Mother elf." Zero stared into the glass tube, but could only see a bright light.

"I see it hasn't fully grown yet…"

"Yes it will be a little while before it does… I can only wonder what the possibilities will be once it does…" She stopped and pressed a button on the control panel labeled "sleep" and a shutter closed over the capsules. "But now I think it's time I rewarded my hero for saving me…" She playfully taunted as she removed her headgear and visor, allowing her hair to fall free.

Zero only smirked as she moved closer to him. Her left arm reached around his neck while her right met his hand halfway, intertwining fingers. He slid is free arm around her waist and then the space between their faces condensed slowly until there was nothing left between them. They kissed softly at first parting for a very short moment before moving in again for a more intense version. Zero's right hand found its way up the small of her back and into her long hair. Their locked hands bid their farewells as Zero moved his now free hand down around her waist while hers reached to meet her other hand around his neck. After a few minutes they broke momentarily, Zero removed his jacket, now only wearing the red T-shirt. They came together again almost instantly like two powerful magnets. They eventually were up against the wall, Ciel in between the solid surface and her love. Ciel now had both hands in front of her attached to his collar while he had both arms wrapped around her.

This is one of many moments they shared with each other. Ever since they had finally come together there were times when the two of them would "disappear" for some privacy to show each other just how much they loved the other. This occasion was no exception, except this time they forgot to lock the door.

Alouette strode up to Ciel's door, eager to find out exactly what was discovered today and pressed the button to enter. The door hissed open, then immediately shut again almost instantly, only now Alouette's finger was about to crush the "close" button on the panel and her face was the deepest shade of red imaginable. She stood still for the next five minutes before the door slipped open again, Ciel stood in the doorway with her headpiece back in its place; a slight redness covered her face as well.

"Sorry Alouette… what is it?" Alouette snapped back to reality and saw Zero over Ciel's shoulder, donning his jacket once more with his back turned to the door.

"Uhhh… OH! Yeah… the new elf… I heard a rumor it was found…" Ciel nodded and beckoned her inside and removed the shutter from capsule to show Alouette the new arrival. Alouette glanced over at Zero, who still hadn't moved in inch. She raised an eyebrow to the fact that he had sunglasses on… indoors. Then she noticed a slight shade of red in his face as well. Alouette sighed. She knew they couldn't hide it, but their attempts were amusing. _I just wish they'd have been a little more discreet… _

Fast forward a week…

"Ciel… according to the readings the elf should be fully grown within the next half hour." Croire floated by Ciel's desk with a small holo-board in her arms.

"Good I'm just finishing up the calculations on what we can expect from this elf…" Croire set the board down on a table nearby and headed for the exit. "Croire…" Ciel began. The large elf stopped and turned to face her.

"Yes Ciel?" Ciel lifted the visor off her eyes.

"Thanks for everything."

"It was my pleasure." The elf smiled and continued out the door.

"OH! Shoot!" Ciel pounded the keyboard. She had accidentally deleted the last calculation formula. "Darn… now I have to do that all over again… should only take me twenty minutes or so…" So she got to work. After about ten minutes she lifted her eyes from the screen to the ceiling and removed her visor. She intertwined her fingers and stretched out. Her eyes drifted to a picture that sat atop her desk in a pretty wooden frame. It was a picture of her and Zero that was taken shortly after the most memorable moment of her life. She could remember it clearly, the way he talked, the tone of his voice, the perfection of his words… he truly was a gift to her from heaven. She sighed, blushing lightly, cradling her cheek with on hand. With work to be done looming over her she suddenly realized she had been daydreaming and whipped the visor back down over her eyes.

After a short while…

"OK! All done. Now let's see the results." Ciel began reading over the papers with complete calculations. However, as she read, her expression changed. _Hmm… that might be a problem… _She kept scanning over and her expression darkened further. This time more of a concerned look. _Wait a minute… no… no… that's not good at all… _Then she reached the end and gasped. "OH NO! This… this is extremely unstable!!! Not to mention with powers like that it could cause a catastrophe!!I have to destroy it before it's fully…"There was the sound of glass cracking, then an explosion. Ciel was thrown into the wall as a bright light filled the room. With another loud crash the light faded and the room now had a large hole in it leading outside. Alarms sounded through the base as the door to Ciel's lab flung open, Leviathan rushing in.

"OH MY GOSH! CIEL!" Leviathan knelt down and helped Ciel get to her feet.

"Uhh… ah!" Ciel shot up quickly, she only had a few bumps and bruises. Harpuia burst into the room.

"What the hell was that?!" he demanded. Ciel explained as quickly as they could; shock was the only word to describe the look on both Harpuia's and Leviathan's face. Then all three glanced out the new "window" in the base and saw the light head towards the city. Ciel immediately called for a squad to be assembled and for them to all head for the city.

Within an hour…

"Miss Ciel… I'm sorry, but we can't find a way in!"

"We have to!" Ciel snapped back at the soldier. "If we don't… we'll be trapped forever in a world of illusion!" A large bubble of light surrounded the entire central park of New Hope. Around the perimeter, resistance soldier struggled to finds a way past the strange light, but all attempts were in vain.

"HYYAAAAA!!!!!!" A green tornado spun towards the bubble and struck the surface of the globe… only to bounce off and dissipate a few meters away. Where it once was now floated Harpuia. "Dammit! Not even my bloody tornado can pierce it!" A concentrated beam of light blue energy sped past him and into the light, but it impacted on the surface, only causing a cloud of mist to erupt from the surface.

"My freezer beam isn't working either…" Leviathan called out from behind him. They both landed near Ciel who was still trying to get some sort of reading on the barrier.

"It's no use Ciel… we can't get in." Harpuia growled as he reported. "Where the HELL is Zero? I'm sure he could break through this easily!"

"I called Zero right when we left, but he was halfway around the world! He should be here any minute!"

"Right now actually…" They all turned and saw Zero in full armor, a sight they hadn't seen in a while.

"Zero! Great timing! Here's the situation…" Ciel began.

"The new cyber elf broke free after you found out how dangerous it was and now it's here in the city."

"Ye… wait how did you know?" Ciel stood flabbergasted.

"I just figured… this reading isn't much different from Croire's or the Mother Elf's."

"Well then… I guess you should have a go at this thing… we haven't been able to make as much as a dent…" Leviathan admitted sticking her halberd into the ground.

"Yes… you're the only hope we have left Zero…" Ciel took his hand. "Please… find a way… I guess I should also tell you… the elf… has illusion powers… and is very unstable… she'll probably last only another hour… if she reaches that point, he power will destroy her from within, and to make matters worse, her power will spread the globe uncontrollably, leaving every single human and reploid trapped in a dream world for all eternity!" Zero only smiled back at her.

"Don't worry… I'll find a way." He winked at Ciel. "I've never let failure grab hold of me and I have no intention to start now… so I guess I'll have a go at it…" He walked towards the barrier with Ciel and the rest behind him.

_…one… … … me……_

Zero stopped in his tracks. _Huh? _He thought as he began walking again.

_Every… … … hates… …_

Zero stopped again. The others were confused as to what he was doing. Determined to figure out the phenomenon, Zero drew closer.

_Everyone hates me… _

Zero stopped in front of the barrier. _Am I hearing things?_

_Everyone thinks I'm a freak………_

Zero put his hand on the barrier and closed his eyes. _No… I definitely heard that… Could it be?_

_Everyone just wants me gone………_

Zero's eyes shot open. _It… it is!!!_Suddenly Zero's hand passed through the barrier, he stepped forward into the bubble and kept walking. Ciel, Harpuia, and Leviathan watched in awe at Zero's simple entrance.

"HOW IN THE… argh… is there nothing Zero can't do?!" Harpuia stood awestruck as did Leviathan.

"Well… as usual it seems we have to rely on him…" She chuckled, supporting herself with her halberd. Ciel took one more step towards the barrier and clasped her hands over her heart.

"Zero…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Zero kept walking straight forward towards the middle of the park. Everything within the bubble was floating off the ground. Tree's, cars, boxes, you name it. Zero could sense the energy growing stronger as he approached. He kept walking until he spotted a strange light in the distance. As he moved toward it he also could make out a wooden park bench that the light seemed to be floating over. He moved closer and closer until he could see a small bubble around the light. He stopped right in front of it. Reaching out a hand, he touched it. It was no different from the barrier outside.

"Oh no…" Zero heard a voice say. "You have weapons… I thought you were going to be nice…" It was the most innocent sounding voice Zero had ever heard.

"Um… … …"

"Go away… just leave me alone…" Zero sighed at the voice.

"I can't go." He put plainly.

"No! If you stay you'll only try to hurt me!" Zero thought for a moment, and then called his saber. He could hear a small gasp come from behind the bubble. But… … … …

…

…

…

…

He dropped it.

"What…?" The voice wondered. Zero pulled out his Z-gun and dropped it on the ground as well, followed by his triple rod.

"No." Next the recoil rod, then the shield boomerang. "I'm not going to use these. Nor am I going to hurt you." He dropped the chain rod, which finalized the discarding of his arsenal.

"You… you mean it don't you…"

"Yes." Zero stepped forward and was engulfed by the globe.

On the other side of the wall Zero was surprised as to what had happened. He looked around. The park was beautiful. The sky was blue, the tree's were green, the flowers were blooming, and birds flew in the sky overhead. He looked down and noticed he was no longer wearing his armor. Instead he donned his red T-shirt and jeans, his casual look. The biggest surprise however, lay before him, sitting on the bench. It was… a little girl? Indeed it was. A child, looked to be no more than four years old with short red hair and a green ribbon tied in it, wearing a small white dress and black buckled slip-on shoes. Finally she had two small cyber wings on her back. She sat on the bench with her knees tucked to her chest, a very sullen expression glued to her face. Zero walked towards her until he was only a couple feet away.

"Hello." Zero greeted.

"I know you put your weapons down… but I know you came here to destroy me…" Zero was silent… how was he supposed to respond to that?

"Well… yes… that was my first intention…"

"See? You were nicer but you still want me gone…"

"No no! Once I heard your voice… once I heard how sad you were I became curious… I began to wonder if you really were so bad…"

"Everyone else thinks so…" Zero sighed and moved behind the bench.

"Well… everyone is only saying that based on what some computer told Ciel…"

"Ciel! She's the worst! It's her fault everyone hates me!" Zero was doing the best he could. "I heard her say it… she's the one who wants me gone!

"Look… I'm sorry that everything has happened this way, but Ciel was only worried about what would happen if you…" Zero stopped, he wasn't sure whether or not the elf knew of her short time limit. He didn't want to be the one to tell a child she was going to die.

"I know… my power is strong… and soon it will run loose…"

_So she does know… … that must be a horrible feeling…_ "That's all Ciel is worried about…" Zero circled around and sat down beside the little girl. "In fact… she was so happy when she first met you." The child lifted her face from between her knees.

"Really?"

"Yes… I was there… she knew that you had special powers, powers she hoped could help people… but when things went wrong… she wasn't thinking about destroying you because she is a mean person… she was only worried about how it might hurt other people. She is a very good person…" Zero was explaining it the best he could without confusing the girl.

"So… Ciel was happy about… me… even though… I'm dangerous?"

"Not just her… everyone was eager to know how things would turn out… you see… nobody hates you… everyone is just worried…" small tears began to form in the corners of the child's eyes. "I don't care what will happen… you are not dangerous… I would never harm you… and… I'll stay here as long as you want…" The girl burst into tears and hugged Zero. He lifted her onto his lap and let her cry into his chest. _She is just an innocent child… if she is happy… then maybe her power won't run wild……_ When the girl finished crying she stared up at him with wet eyes.

"I know I won't be much longer…" Zero winced again…

_What a terrible thing for one so young to know…_

"… but since you are here… I feel happy… I'm not alone now…" She paused to wipe the tears out of her eyes, hopped off his lap, and landed on the ground. "My name is Meiru… what is your name?" Zero smiled.

"My name is Zero."

"Do you want to play with me Mr. Zero?" Zero was surprised at how she was suddenly so happy despite knowing about her own demise. _Her power is relaxing… maybe all she needed was a little love…_

"Yes… let's go…" Zero rose from the bench. She grabbed his hand and tugged him over to the park playground.

An Hour later…

"There has been no change… any minute the power will be released…" Ciel looked at her watch. Leviathan and Hapruia stood silently. "It's no good… Zero's been in there too long…"

"We can't give up hope just yet can we?" Leviathan urged.

"There's no way to tell…" Harpuia began. "But this does not bode well…"

"Oh… after all we've been through… a small screw up ends it all…" Right as Ciel finished the bubble of light suddenly pulsated and began to glow furiously. Ciel fell to her hands and knees, desolated. But the bubble stopped moving and instantly capsized. It was if it was never there. Ciel's head shot up in disbelief. "What…?" She looked around. Everything was the same.

"Look!" Leviathan pointed towards the park. Zero was walking towards them. "He did it!" Leviathan cheered.

"But… what is he carrying…?" Harpuia wondered. Zero approached them, once again in his armor. In his arms he cradled the lifeless body of the cyber elf. "Wait a minute… he didn't destroy it…?"

"There was no need to Harpuia…" Harpuia's eyes rose to Zero. "She was just sad and alone like a small child… her powers reacting to her vulnerable state. All she needed was a friend. Once she was happy, her powers settled down thus preventing the catastrophe…"

"Wow…" Was all Ciel could say. _How did he figure that out? _She noticed Zero looked a little glum. "Zero? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He replied quickly. "I have something I need to take care of." With that, Zero flew off.

"He really is something…" Began Harpuia. "He's even greater than we ever imagined…"

"What do you mean Sage?" Leviathan questioned. Ciel was also curious.

"What we just saw… is a perfect example of how great Zero is… it just dwned upon me what really happened…"

Zero landed on a grassy plane with a lone tree sitting within the sea of grass.

"When we heard of the danger the new elf posed… all we could think of was destroying it…"

Zero walked beneath the tree and set the body down amidst the iris flowers that coated the ground near a large rock.

"Yet when Zero approached the problem he listened… he listened and heard a voice… a voice calling out to him, a voice of fear and innocence... the voice of a sorrowed soul…"

Zero dug up a small patch of ground among the flowers near the rock and placed the body in the small divot.

"Rather than resort to violence… he reached out to it… he reached out to answer the call, to tame the fear, to touch the soul with a gentle, caring hand like a father reaching out to his child…"

Zero filled the dirt in over the small body and turned his head to the rock beside the new grave. "Iris… take good care of her…" And he flew off.

"Zero saw what none of us could see, and once again saved us all…" Harpuia finished and Leviathan was speechless at the explanation for a moment before she spoke up.

"That's just incredible… I would have never thought of that… how does he do it?" Ciel smiled at Leviathan.

"That's easy Leviathan…" She turned and faced the park.

As Zero flew he smiled, remembering the short lived time he spent with Meiru. The time he spent with the child had made him happy.

"It's because he's Zero."

Extra Chapter 3 – The End

Believe in Me – To be Concluded

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Oh my... only one left... i can't believe it... i've been on this story for so long... it's a little sad...

ok the self pity can wait, for those of you who didn't pick it out, the inspiration for this chapter came from the final episode of Justice league Unlimited, where there is the flashback of Batman pulling a similar act with Ace of the Royal flush gang.

It's so sad that i'll be leaving this story for good pretty soon... it's been a lot of work, but i've got to thank all my readers and reviewers for keeping me going all thi time... it has been so great hearing from all of you. You guys are the best, really.

Please read and review!

Flashgunner over and out!


	42. Epilogue: Believe in Me

... ... ... I... I don't know how i feel right now. I simply cannot find any words to describe it... This story, i began when i was a sophomor in highschool... and here i am, a freshman in College, submitting the final piece to complete all the work i've done... Half of me is excited because i've pulled through such along story and i'll be able to write some new work... the other half though... let's just say my finger hovered over the D key for a very long time before i pressed it down to complete the word end...

Oh i'll stop for now... you guys probably want to read this so i'll talk more after.

Here is the forty-second and final installment of Believe in Me.

story

"taking"

_Thinking_

**Emphasis**

(me talking)

Enjoy!

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Believe in me

By: Flashgunner

There have been many great tales in history… tales of events… tales of empires… tales of fantasy… and tales of heroes… All begin once upon a time, but they all must end some time to come… Every story begins and ends as a new frontier of possibility… Some may say that no story lasts forever, but only in the text it is written… true stories… true tales of greatness live on in the minds of those who have scanned over every page with eyes of interest… the story will continue in these minds… and last forever…

Epilogue: Believe in Me

Thirty years after the Elf incident……

"Alright… … that should do it…" Alouette stepped back from the monitor and sighed. "Well all the simulations and calculations have come out positive… Hopefully if we decide to actually run nothing will…"

"Alouette!" A man's voice cut her off. Cerveau stepped out from behind a large contraption to the right of her. "What was the number one rule I taught you back in the university?"

"Confidence is the key to success…" recited Alouette as she rolled her eyes slightly.

"Exactly! As long as we are confident while the positive tests crank out then all will turn out well!" He continued but Alouette was not paying attention to him. Her eyes lay fixed on the contraption the two had been tinkering with for the past few hours.

_So… Ciel's greatest creation… I hope she's sure about this…_

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…

Elsewhere, two reploids stood high atop the icy peak of the tallest northern mountain. One with spiky green hair clad in a green vest over a black shirt with jeans, the other had long blonde hair and wore a black shirt under a red jean jacket and jeans. They remained still, gazing out onto the world like two eagles looking across a vast plain. A soft mist radiated from their mouths every second or two, breathing steadily as the time past slowly.

"So…" The viridian eyes moved to the blonde a couple feet from him. "I heard Ciel's finally done it…"

"Yeah…" Was the short response as the red clad reploid kept his gaze out into the vast sky.

"You aren't worried at all?"

"Why should I be?"

The green clad reploid scoffed at him. "Don't joke with me Zero…"

"No I really am not worried about it at all Harpuia…"

"Why not?" He pressed to his old adversary. Zero did not answer for a moment and exhaled deeply forming a small cloud of mist in front of his face briefly.

"Because Ciel believes it will work, and that's all I need…"

"Hmph… I wish I shared your confidence… it seems very dangerous to me… I can't even begin to tell you how worried Fairy is about the whole idea…"

"Leviathan shouldn't worry and neither should you." Harpuia turned to Zero as the blonde continued. "Ciel has always believed in me, as have both you and Leviathan… I never asked for it, but you all did none the less. It was a warm feeling like none other… having people have faith in you without you yourself intending… it was something I came to notice later than I should have." He shut his eyes and blew another cloud of mist out in front of him. "So now I'm returning the favor… Ciel believed in me… so now it is time I believe in her… and so should you." Harpuia sighed.

"As optimistic as that speech was supposed to make me, I still have my doubts… but I will humor you… I will tell Fairy as well…"

"I'd appreciate it."

Harpuia turned to leave, "You better get going old friend… I pray to hear good news whence we meet again…" And with that Harpuia took off into the distance towards the great ocean. Zero stood silently recollecting all the trials he pulled through, all the battles he had fought, all the moments he had shared with Ciel. He smiled to himself.

_Only good news can be written… I believe we'll succeed…_

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…

Alouette and Cerveau were tending to the contraption when Zero walked in. He gave a quick glance at the machine before turning to Cerveau.

"It's all ready." Said Alouette before Zero had a chance to ask.

"Does Ciel know?"

"Yes I informed her not to long ago." Replied Cerveau, wiping his hands on his lab coat, "Why don't you go get her now and I'll get Croire." They left in separate directions leaving Alouette all alone. She tapped a few buttons on the control panel and the machine began to hum quietly while little lights began to come to life all over the machine.

"Oh… Ciel I hope you're sure about this…" As the lights came to life the whole machine was now visible, it was sleek and silver in design ridden all over with blue lights and gauges. Atop the contraption there was a large computer within a red glass dome, the construction looked extremely complicated. The defining features of the new invention were the two capsules on both ends attached to the machine by a multitude of wires. One capsule was standing straight up, and looked like nothing more than a glass tube, the other was tilted slightly, with a small board to lie up against. "This thing is just not giving me a good feeling…" A few minutes later Cerveau entered with Croire following him.

"You're sure you want to do this Croire?" Cerveau questioned as they entered.

"I am more than willing to help Ciel realize this goal… if this successful just imagine what possibilities will rise?" Cerveau smiled.

"Yes, Ciels ambitions have always led to new roads…" Then the other door slid open and Zero walked in.

"Ah… Ciel…" Alouette said quietly as Zero slowly led her to the machine, Ciel clutching his arm. She had aged, now in her mid-fifties not even the great scientist Ciel could beat advancing age. Her hair was no longer its beautiful blonde, but a grayish white. Her once youthful face no longer had its former shine. She wore a long white skirt with a red long sleeve sweater, and walked with a slight limp.

"Hello everyone…" She began, if there was one thing that never would change it would be the softness and kindness of her voice. "Thank you for letting me go through with this…" She released Zero's arm and approached the machine. "All my life I spent studying the wonder of the cyber elves… the "Ciel system" was only the first step… this is the next step…" Alouette rushed up and hugger her.

"Ciel… please… are you sure this is worth it?! You are like a mother to me if anything happens…" Ciel smiled and hugged her creation.

"Do not worry… it will not fail… I've made some extra precautions in case anything strange should happen." Cerveau raised an eyebrow over his visor.

"Wait… you have tested this right?" Ciel smiled.

"Only in simulations my friend…" Cerveau was alarmed.

"Only in…?! Ciel! This is serious business! What if something goes wrong?!" Ciel held her hand up for him to stop.

"Cerveau, I've made sure everything will be fine…" she stole a quick glance at Zero. "Just believe in me okay?" Cerveau admitted defeat.

"Very well…" Ciel approached Croire

"I must thank you Croire… I haven't been able to tap into the power of younger cyber elves yet… you are the only one who can help me."

"It is an honor Miss Ciel." Coire nodded and made her way over to the empty glass tube on the right of the machine. It slid open, but before Croire could enter there was a tug on her arm. She turned and laid eyes on Alouette who had a firm grip on her.

"Croire… thank you… for all the time you spent with me when I was younger… you were like a big sister to me." Alouette hugged the elf who hugged her back like an older sibling.

"I loved every minute of it Alouette…" Alouette pulled away sadly and moved to the control panel. The glass closed over Croire. "Do not worry, after this I will not be gone… simply with someone else…" Alouette nodded, a little bit of brightness returning to her face. Ciel made her way to the other capsule with Zero right behind her. The glass tilted open and Ciel lay back on the board. She pulled Zero close to her and whispered into his ear.

"You know what to do… if for something goes wrong which is highly probable, I'm counting on you to pull me back okay?"

"Are you sure you don't want them to know the risk?"

"Yes, their confidence is essential if this is to have any success."

"Of course… alright I will do my best if anything should happen."

"Oh don't say it like that… if anything happens I **know** you will pull through… I believe in you."

"Yes… and I believe in your words…"

She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek, before the glass closed down over her. She nodded to Zero and he in turn nodded to Cerveau. Cerveau hesitated for a moment but pushed down lightly on a flashing green button. Small wires drew out from the edges of Croires capsule and attached to her arms. Likewise many small wires appeared in Ciel's capsule attaching to her limbs and all over her body. The machine began to hum quietly at first then soon picked up and the two capsules began emitting a bright green light. Croire smiled as the wires around her began to glow as well and she was engulfed completely in a blinding light. The red glass dome lit up and soon began flashing as the wires in Ciel's capsule began to glow. She winked once at Zero before her capsule was also swallowed up in the shining lights. Everyone shielded their eyes as the machine grew louder and louder.

But soon the machine began making a rather unpleasant noise, followed by a loud beeping that emanated from the control panel. Cerveau began looking up and down the panel with a look of worry, the gauges all began moving into the danger area. Alouette screamed and pushed Cerveau out of her way. She frantically pressed the green button again and again hoping it would stop the machine, but nothing was happening. The glass over Ciel's capsule suddenly began to crack and after a flash of light brighter than the sun, the capsule shattered, the machine short circuited, and little pops were heard as smoke began seeping out of every corner. Little bits flew everywhere from the shattered capsule, each one giving off a tiny bit of light. The room went silent.

Alouette broke down and tears streamed down her face. Cerveau stood in disbelief. _She… she was so steadfast on how successful it would be… why…_ Zero hadn't moved an inch or uttered a single sound. He only sighed and stepped toward the capsule, the little bits of light floating around it and the entire room. Alouette ceased crying as she noticed Zero move towards the machine, wondering what he was doing. In a red flash his clothes were replaced by his Reploid armor. Cerveau now took notice as well. _Zero… what are you…?_

Zero slowly levitated off the ground and began to glow faintly. _I'm here Ciel… _He began charging his energy… there was just a soft glow at first, then small rays of energy began to pulse around him, slowly the rays began to grow larger and brighter as they began merging with his body. As the energy flowed into him, the small lights that littered the room were pulled in as well, they too began to circle him and merge into his body. Zero levitated further into the air and began to glow a bright yellow. Once every light had merged into him, he ceased the power charge and slowly touched down to the ground, still glowing like a star from a far off galaxy. Neither Alouette or Cerveau had the faintest idea what was going on, but suddenly Cerveau had an intuition,

"Wait… you can't be serious… is that even possible?!" Alouette turned her head from Cerveau to Zero to Cerveau and back to Zero. Zero raised his arms out in front of him.

_I will always be here Ciel…_ He thought as he began to channel all the new energy to his hands. A small ball of light formed between his palms, as he pumped more energy through his arms the ball of light grew larger and larger until it was almost as big as Zero. He let go of it and stepped away. He smiled as the ball began to condense vertically until resembled more of an ovular shape. _Time to come back… _Zero stepped forward and put his arms around the light as if he were hugging it. The next instant the light suddenly burst sending small beams of light all over the room. Cerveau and Alouette shielded their eyes until the light died down and both turned back to Zero. The light had disappeared, but in Zero's arms stood Ciel, hugging him back affectionately, but something was different. Ciel was no longer of old age; her features had reverted back to their former elegance. Her face was no longer aged and tired, her body was no longer frail and weak, her hair no longer white. Her face was again beautiful, she once again stood strong, and her hair shone like gold as it once had. Anyone who had known her at the time would say now, that she looked just as she had at the age of nineteen with the very same pink work outfit she had always worn. Zero released her and she opened her eyes, her youthful eyes of interest and determination. "Welcome back…" He said to her softly. She smiled back at him.

"Thank you Zero…" She slowly let go of him and stepped back. A green aura appeared around her for an instant and she threw her head back. The image of cyber-wings, like those on a cyber-elf, appeared on her back and she exhaled.

"I can't believe it… it actually worked…" Cerveau stated his surprise as he approached Ciel, Alouette not too far behind. Ciel smiled at him. "Ciel… you may have just created a fountain of youth…

"Yes… I've finally managed to create a human-cyber elf mix… this transformation has allowed me to beat age and live forever like a reploid… Although the process is far from completion… the machine broke before the final stage could take place… I was aware of this but thanks to Zero the process was completed anyway…" Cerveau couldn't believe the risk she had taken.

"So you knew it would fail?! Ciel that's just reckless!" She only smiled at him.

"Yes… it may have been… but after studying possible ways to complete the energy transfer, Zero brought to me an idea… that he knew how to re-scramble and put back together dispersed energy… after testing his ability it proved to be just right for the task. The machine is far from complete, and I'll probably have to start all over now, but this was the first real test run with me as the subject… now I just need to figure out how to recreate the process Zero is capable of. Not only that, but now I will live on through the years with the rest of you without fearing the day that I would be lost to you." There was a silence. Cerveau was still trying to comprehend how brilliant her plan had been. Alouette couldn't stand it anymore; she threw herself at Ciel and hugged her.

"Don't EVER scare me like that again!" Ciel smiled and returned the hug.

"I'm sorry I worried you…" They let go of each other and she turned to Zero. "Now I would like to see what Croire has given me…" She extended a hand to Zero. Zero reached out and took it. Suddenly Zero felt himself being pulled up as Ciel began to levitate into the air. She flew up to the skylight window of the lab, which had shattered when the machine expelled the energy, and soon she was pulling him higher and higher into the sky. She laughed cheerfully when they stopped and Zero let go of her, taking control of his own flight in mid air. "I've always wanted to do that… for once to lift you into the air…" A smile grew on Zero's face.

"Well it looks like I won't have to lift you up anymore…" Ciel giggled and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Tag… you're it." She took off.

"Hey!" Zero rocketed after her. Just when he was about to catch her she broke off in another direction.

"Hahaha!" She laughed happily as she ran from him. Zero smiled and kept in pursuit. Eventually he caught her by the arm and pulled her in, hugging her tightly.

"I got you!" She laughed again as Zero held her tight. "Ciel you've really outdone yourself this time…" He held her out in front of him.

"I did it all because I wanted to be with you forever… and now more possibilities have been opened for us…"

"Yes… and along with it you've given a new hope for the future…"

"Come now… let's leave the world behind for a while…"

"I agree… let's go flying… together." Zero finished as he shot off into the distance, Ciel close behind. They flew around each other gracefully as if they were dancing in the sky. They moved among the clouds, grabbing hold of each other they twisted around appearing above the clouds before plunging back through and diving to the earth. They flew among the mountains, the plains, and the forests. They reached the ocean and glided along the water near the beach, eventually they passed a small cottage built near the sand. Someone burst out of the door.

"What in the blazes was that?!" Harpuia stopped outside his door. He caught sight of two figures flying in the sky and smiled.

"Is something wrong Sage?" A woman donning a light blue shirt and a medium length white skirt with long cerulean hair stepped out to join him.

"Look fairy… it looks like Zero and Ciel were successful." Leviathan stared up into the sky and caught glimpse of flying duo.

"Oh… thank goodness… I was so worried…"

"It seems Zero has engineered another miracle… how does he do it…?"

"Mommy where are you?" A small reploid child, modeled to look the age of four, appeared in the doorway and trotted out to Leviathan. He wore a small red shirt with red shorts, his eyes were a fiery crimson just like his short hair. "What are those?" The little reploid pointed to the sky at Zero and Ciel. Leviathan picked the boy up in her arms.

"Those are our close friends Fighter… we've known them for a very long time…" The little boy was still confused, but he watched with his creators as the two figures eventually disappeared from sight. Harpuia chuckled to himself.

"Zero you are something else…"

…

…

Zero and Ciel continued to dance about in the sky and eventually came to a stop high above the clouds. They came together and hugged each other again sharing a sweet fervid kiss. They pulled away after a moment and stared into each other's eyes.

"Zero that was wonderful…"

"Yes… it was…" She pulled him back toward her and rested her head on his chest and he his chin atop her head. They floated in midair like this for a long while before either of them spoke again.

"Zero… do you think I've done the right thing? Do you think discovering a way to erase death will cause dispute just like the energy crisis did so long ago?" Zero thought about her words carefully, but shrugged off the effect.

"Ciel… if there is anything I've learned from all the time I've been with you… it's that anything you create, you only do because you wish to help people."

"But… I created copy X remember?"

"Yes, but you did it because you wanted to help people, things went wrong because of the many troubles people were facing… But now… there are no troubles that can cause panic, nothing to stand in your way while you help the people live… besides… I believe in you." Those four words had become a special thing between the two of them. It was their way of showing appreciation. "And as always… I will be by your side to see it through…" She removed her head from his body and stared into his eyes. She leaned up and locked lips with him again. They shared each other's feelings and appreciation through their love and affection. They pulled apart once more, still feeling the fire of their bond burning bright.

"Zero… I have been blessed… to meet one such as you."

"And I have been blessed… to meet one able to bring out my love…" They kissed once more briefly. "Now it's time we face to world once again hand in hand… Ciel… do you believe in me?" She smiled at him with the same beautiful smile he had become forever attached too.

"Yes Zero… I always have… and I always will…"

…

…

…

…

A story may end… but others begin…

A memory may fade… but will never be fully forgotten…

A limit may be reached… but the peak will never appear…

All good things must come to an end… but all good things should never be forgotten…

Tales of greatness live on… and last for all eternity…

Believe in Me…

THE END

* * *

And there you have it... my four year project is now complete... feelings of both success and sadness cover me right now, i never thought i'd see this done, at least not yet. It seemed so long ago when i began and it's suddenly over... Well look out for whatever my nxt story may be. Right now it looks like it's going to be a Dragonball Z Gohan/Videl fanfic, but who knows... whatever comes to mind i will write...

I've said it so many times but i must say it more than ever now. EVERYONE who has read and/or reviewed this story... you guysare the greatest, i don't know how else i can put it, you've all been amazing to me, and for that i thank you deeply.

Please read and review... one last time...

Flashgunner... signing out... This story... is now complete.


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